The man from apartment 512
by valenelle
Summary: Sequel to Como la flor. Jack Sparrow is now an honourable merchant with a good reputation circulating his new identity. One of his appointments is in London, where Angelica happens to live… It's possible to deny attraction maybe once, or twice. But by the third, the ex-lovers should give in.
1. Where do I begin?

**A/N: Hello! I know there are Ruling the Wind and Tides & A Spanish Lullaby that have to be finished soon. But here's a third story from me too. I decided to write a sequel to Como la flor because I got an idea. Hopefully you will enjoy it. **

**Disclaimer: I do not own the characters and historical names that might be mentioned. However, the thing I do think is my own idea is the plot of this particular story. **

**This story is _AU_ like the previous one. This is a Romance/Drama like Como la flor and not much adventure. **

**Summery: Sequel to Como la flor. ****Jack Sparrow is now an honourable merchant with a good reputation circulating his new identity. One of his appointments is in London, where Angelica happens to live… **

**Maybe Como la flor truly didn't end the way we thought... **

* * *

**Chapter I – Where do I begin? **

Pirates of the Caribbean

**The man from apartment 512**

* * *

_**London, England **_

Lord Christian Lancaster. He was a reputable merchant that owned half of the city. Every royalty was familiar to his name and there were no parties he wasn't invited to. Naturally, it fell upon his newlywed wife that envelopes of the finest gold decorations reached her hand as well. Together they attended celebrations and all were equally found of the Mrs as they were or the Mr. Whenever he was on business trips around Europe, in Paris to inaugurate a new hotel, she'd either join him for publicity or stay home where she would remain the face of the Lancasters.

That day in late October, this Lord was sitting behind his desk in the office room. It was a large house that had cost a fortune to build. But nothing was good enough for the Mrs. Perhaps, she would be alright with a smaller accommodation, but the Mr took every opportunity he could to spoil her. A servant stood statue-like beside the doorway and awaited orders. He watched Lord Christian musingly rub his jaw while gazing over the many papers he had over the table.

A maid would interrupt his work. She stood in the doorway. "Lord Christian."

He mumbled something for himself before looking up.

"There is a man in the lounge room by the name Sir Quentin. What may I address him?"

Lord Christian gave away a content flash. "Send him in here."

"Of course," the maid replied and disappeared. Moments later, the man appeared in the doorway. He lifted his hat in a greeting way. In a light green suit and white wig, his pale face appeared even whiter than it already was.

"Christian," he greeted his co-worker. Christian made a nod.

"Albert Quentin," he stood up and shook Albert's hand. "It's been a while."

"Indeed, a shame I must say," Albert admitted. He followed Christian's gesture of sitting down in the chair opposite him.

"Have you ever heard of this… Captain Zack Jarrow?" Christian asked. Albert chuckled.

"I believe there cannot be a merchant who hasn't heard of him," he acknowledged. "Captain Jarrow sails the seas faster than pirates."

Mumbling something, Christian eventually nodded. "So I've been heard. Seems as if he'd make a good employee and work for me."

Albert nodded. "I can't do anything but to agree, Christian. Although, he is rather expensive I've heard."

"That will be no problem. I've already invited him for dinner and see what type of man this Captain is. These weapons and merchandize I will send to New England in exchange for golden chests aren't ones I am bound to lose."

Albert nodded in agreement and browsed a couple of papers. "I'll be pleased if he lives up to his reputation of not letting any pirates attack his ship."

Christian clasped his hands. "Well, that's why we are hiring him, aren't we? I already sent him a letter."

* * *

The Mrs, Lady Angelica Luz Lancaster was a fine lady. In a whipped cream colored dress, a matching hat and similar gloves, she sat in a satin couch in a hotel. Hotel Lanlord. As many boutiques and other companies, this luxurious hotel belonged to the Lancaster family. Close friends to this divine and magnificent woman were Gretel, a woman the same age as Lady Angelica. Gretel Adler was a German woman with red hair and light blue eyes as the brightest summer sky. Together with her husband that had gotten a job proposal in London, they had moved to the big island. She had a daughter, Liza that was about 4 years old. Gabriella Parker sat in another couch. She had long blonde hair with brown eyes. Her pink dress fit her very well and had been sent all the way from New Spain by her husband. He was a governor over there but resided in London most of his time. She had already three sons, Aiden, Edward and Peter, but they were all home with the maids. Lastly was Mary York. She was also married to a man, a rich banker which bank ruled the capitol. She had one son, James.

The fashionable women were all the same age, none older none younger. Only months separated their age of 22 years old.

Mary grinned. "The celebration is said to be extraordinary."

Leaning confidently backwards to sink into the backrest, Angelica wore a pleased expression. "Then we must go."

Gabriella nodded. "Of course we have to. No party becomes a success without us, if I'm not wrong."

"Of course you're not wrong," Gretel retorted. "No celebration turns out well if we don't attend."

Angelica chuckled.

"We managed making the prude Princess dance," Mary stated and caused the other to laugh.

"Oh, I remember that," Angelica commented. She smiled widely and glanced down to her hands. It got stuck on the big diamond that rested on her finger, captured in a golden ring. That ring should have referred to someone else. Someone who she was deeply in love with years ago. But now it represented her husband who she apparently was destined to live with for the rest of her life. Slowly, she broke her eyes from it and returned to the conversation.

At the same time, a lost former pirate had set anchor. His beloved Pearl wasn't wanted anymore. No, the ship was accepted since he had seized it as they said. He was a legal and honourable gentleman nowadays that ran his own business. Gentleman might not be the proper name to describe him, but in public it was often how he appeared. Within the last years, he had gotten a great reputation about him and therefore for once a legal fortune.

Captain Jack Sparrow, known as Captain Zack Jarrow in the eyes of common populations entered London with big feminine steps. His expensive coat dangled over his shoulders quite gracefully when he strolled along the streets. He could have taken a cart to the destination, but it had been a while since the last time he wandered in London. It was a beautiful city, and many things occurred constantly. He was there for business, plain business. Of course he could might as well pass by a brothel later in the day. London had fancy ladies, something that couldn't be spoken about Tortuga. Not that he truly complained. Once in a while, he sailed to that city and celebrated the nights long alongside Gibbs and the crew. Ladies and rum, those two things that made life complete.

So there he was, standing outside the fancy entrance to Landlord Hotel. According to rumours, this Lord Lancaster was the founder of the idea of hotels. Personally Jack saw no benefit in it. A brothel without the goody part. What was the point in that? A doorman opened the door for Jack, and even called him 'sir'. Truly, it was real nice inside. A hotel lobby with a chandelier hanging down from the roof, a big staircase that glimpsed hidden in the background, a big doorframe that led into what Jack supposed was a dining place. Not much furniture was in the lobby, exception a group of couches in the corner were well-dressed women sat. His scanning eyes paused for a brief moment to rest on the one with brown hair, in a somewhat white dress. She had her back though turned against him. Reflections of a certain someone he worked for years ago flashed by his mind. But no, he'd never see her again. Even if he was in London, there was no chance he'd actually run into her. What were the chances of that? Frankly, he didn't want to either. There was no need for it to complicate things further and get back involved in that act ever again.

Smugly, he dropped his large suitcase on the counter.

"What may I help you with, sir?" the man from the staff asked politely from behind it.

"Captain Zack Jarrow," Jack said. It still bothered him slightly he had to use a false identity to not be recognized by his real name. "You should find me somewhere in there," he continued and pointed at the register book.

The man browsed a couple of pages before he lit up. "Captain Jarrow, sir. Your suite is 512 on the second floor," he put a key on the counter.

Jack grabbed it together with the suitcase and left for the stairs. He sure could get used to this rich style of living. Never in a million years did he believe he'd try it. Living rich illegally was definitely not the same thing. It was constant hiding and lots of fighting people off. But legally, he could stroll the streets as anybody and have people serve him just as it pleased him.

The woman that was sitting in the couch, with her back against the lobby, was careful to not slip from the chat. She listened intently to her friends and added humorous sarcastic statements once in a while. It was first when Mary, sitting in front her, gasped when Angelica truly snapped back into reality.

"What?" she asked. When Mary didn't answer but continued staring across Angelica, the Lady looked over her shoulder. All she saw was a lobby consisting of three guests at the counter, a busy staff and a man which back she managed getting a glimpse of before disappearing up the stairs. Nothing odd at all attracted her sight.

She looked back to Mary with a frown, looking like a twin sister to Gretel by wearing same expressions.

"Why the gasping?" Gretel asked.

Mary squealed. "_The_ most handsome man just checked into this hotel, Angelica!"

Gretel rolled her eyes. "You are married, Mary," she reminded her the boring fact.

Shaking her head, Mary was being determined as always. "No, he was really something out of the ordinary," she looked at Angelica. "Please pry among your husband's papers and find out about this man," she begged.

Angelica snorted. "Mary, what are you possibly thinking with?" her Spanish accent was still there. "Certainly not your head."

"He would never find out. You should have seen him. He was very good-looking, I must admit that."

Angelica let out a laugh. "I'm sure he wouldn't attract my eyes at all. Hardly get me in bed as you plan," she shot Mary a teasing look that caused her to slightly blush. But the other two young women laughed.

* * *

**A/N: Okay, I'm not sure if you want this but I got this idea and had to write it. And it seems as if maybe Como la flor didn't end with that happy ending after all. There might be questions, but I promise you they will be answered along the chapters of this story! **

**What's your opinion? _Did you like it/Hate it? _**

**Now I am free from work and school for a while and therefore I will be able to update all of these stories way sooner. I do promise that! **

**This was an introduction to what I hope will turn out to a long story! **


	2. To tell the story

**A/N: Thank you so much for the reception! I was very surprised to find the positive feedback! **

**Roma77 : Yes, Angelica is married to Christian… and about the baby-question, read on ;) And thanks for the compliments! **

* * *

**Chapter II – To tell the story**

Pirates of the Caribbean

**The man from apartment 512**

* * *

Diana Beatrice Lancaster. She was a frolicsome young girl. Four years old and full of energy. Hair in the darkest of brown shades reached as long as to her lower back, even tough strands from the surface were pulled into a ponytail that was placed just by top of her back head. A rosette was tied around the ponytail in a blue ribbon that was in the same color as her customized dress. The forenoon had been spent in her play chamber whilst being carefully watched by her nursemaid. Once hearing her mother's voice from downstairs, she rushed out of the room, crossed the endless hallway and ran down the stairs with an item in a firm grip.

Lady Lancaster was in the entrance chamber, a maid helping her undress the hat and other fabrics to hang them aside in a closet.

"Mommy, Mommy!" Diana shouted and crashed into her mother. Soon after a chuckle and something being said to the maid, she was scooped up in her mother's embrace.

"Hello there."

Diana showed the stuff she had held. "Look what I got!"

Her mother raised her eyebrows at the sight. "A brand new doll, _again_."

Nodding eagerly with a grin, Diana waved it in front of her face. "Fine, huh?"

By grasping her hand on it, the mother gently shoved it away from her vision. "Very lovely," she said and grabbed it to examine it.

The nursemaid cleared her throat. "The Lord thought the young Miss deserved a present after being bedridden by sickness, Lady Angelica."

For a brief moment, Angelica's eyes shifted to the nursemaid and she rolled her eyes. "Of course he did. Any chance possible and he spoils her," she said and put the squirming girl down. In an instant she ran off to continue playing with her doll. The maid who had helped Angelica undress, followed her steps behind as the Lady walked down the long hallway. She paused by a doorway and looked inside it. Servants were setting the table with tons of cutlery. With a quirked eyebrow she walked down the rest of hallway, taking off gloves on the way and handing them over to a maid distantly without tearing her gaze from her goal. She reached a lounge room which her husband usually was in. There he sat, a white wig framing his head, a blue suit with a white loose shirt tucked inside. A feather pencil was pulled along a long paper, leaving black words.

"Why the many plates?"

Without looking up, he added a few more words to his letter. "Good day, Angelica," he greeted her.

"Good day," she responded.

Carefully, he put the feather aside and stood up. Gracefully she rounded the desk to stand in front of it. Thereby, Christian sat down.

"I have to reveal that we are having guests over this afternoon," he said.

A slow nod was made by Angelica. "Guests?"

"Yes, there will be clients and probably other merchants. The main reason for hosting this dinner is to recruit this very intelligent merchant – Mr Jarrow."

"Am I supposed to attend it?" she asked. Christian shook his head.

"No," he said.

"Then I will be having supper at Mary's. Does that sound alright with you?" she questioned.

Christian smiled and grabbed her hand to kiss it. "Of course, my dear."

* * *

The house was mansion-like. A small lawn was in front of the large accommodation with a metallic fence surrounding it. Perfect cut bushes were along the walls and there was a stair up to the front door. Jack pullet the wicket open and scanned the area around him as he approached the house. It was a road of cobblestones and only priced houses were built at both sides.

He knocked on the door. Gibbs had warned him for London. They ruled the Caribbean Seas and around the Atlantic Ocean where their costumers had orders. There was no true challenge in transporting merchandize safely around there when he possessed the fastest ship and a well-trained crew. Although, whenever he made port in such metropolitans like London; problems sought him.

A maid opened the door. He could tell by her attire of a white apron tied over the black dress beneath. She was rather attractive though. A smile appeared on his face, showing off his golden teeth.

"Hello there, m'lady," no there was no true honourable gentleman in him. Any chance he could flirt with a precious woman, he'd take that one.

The maid blushed embarrassed and gestured for the guest to enter. "Welcome to the Lancasters, sir. Please enter."

Candlelight lit up the entrance room and the candles were visible in the hallway ahead of him. The maid helped him taking off his outer coat and gestured for him to follow her.

With big dancing steps, Jack moved to the room she stopped in front of. He took a look inside and faced a big oval table that was set in the finest porcelain. Big windows on one wall helped it becoming a bit lighter but again, candlelight did the most of it. A golden chandelier hung down from the ceiling and gracefully shone over the dining place. A fireplace was built in the corner of the room to keep it warm. There were already men inside, all of them wearing wigs. Somehow, he seemed to recognize one of them. It was the one that approached him and reached out his hand to greet Jack.

"Welcome to my house, Captain Jarrow," they shook hand.

At first, he was quite surprised to be called that. Then again, he had never really gotten fully used to the fact that it was his so-called name.

"Er… thank you Lord Christopher."

"Christian," the Lord corrected him nicely. It was something about that man that appeared familiar. But what couldn't Jack figure out. He tried to come up with who he was. Maybe he had threatened him before?

"This is Mr Albert Quentin," he presented him to a fat man.

Albert examined Jack. "You don't wear wig?" that came out as something between a statement and a question.

"It's more comfortable this way, sir," he replied confidently.

"Ah, that is true," Albert agreed and let him say hello to another man.

A big muscular man reached out his hand. "Tom York." By his fine and snobbery way of speaking, Jack quickly realized he also had one of those high titled jobs.

"What are ye working with?" Jack questioned bluntly.

"A banker. I own the major bank of this country and specifically in this capitol. You can always trust my bank," he informed smugly. "It's the best."

"It sure is," Christian agreed and nodded towards the table. "Please, gentlemen. Sit down."

All men sat down, including Jack that waited to sit down as last man. The conversation was quickly headed into discussing Jack's abilities of transporting the material. He bragged about himself because it happened to work. Christian and his entourage seemed to be more intrigued in Jack's speech the more he spoke.

"How can you assure us nothing will happen to my weapons?" Christian clasped his hands together after finishing the plate. Jack had finished it hours ago. "It is of great importance they don't get in the hands of filthy pirates."

Trying to come up with another good reply, he decided to answer it completely honestly. "I am sailing the Black Pearl. No ship is as fast as my beloved Pearl."

Christian nodded. "It is a relief you managed getting your hands on that vessel, now when that Mr Sparrow was killed in that battle."

With narrowed eyes, Jack muttered irritated under his breath. "_Captain!_"

Albert, Lord Christian and Tom turned to Jack.

"My apologies, Captain Jarrow. I didn't hear you that clearly," Albert said genuinely.

Plastering a nice face on, Jack grabbed the glass of alcohol to drink some. "Agreed," he repeated. "Agreed."

"Ah," Albert said and nodded. "It is a relief," he also agreed.

Feeling the urge of using a restroom, Jack stood up. Again he gained the others' attention. He forced himself to slip a polite question. "May I ask where the restroom is?"

"Down the hallway to the left," the Lord answered nicely. With a nod that was reflected by the others, Jack left the room and headed to the restroom. Moments later when he walked out of little chamber, he heard a soft and childish voice coming from a room nearby. Slowly and quietly, he walked over there and placed himself in the doorway. It was a library inside. Three walls were of shelves that were filled of books. In between the high shelves were couches and a few coffee tables. There was a young girl sitting in one of them. Her hair was in the darkest brown with a blue rosette in it. She had a fluffy blue dress and looked like a miniature of a grown woman, yet with the most childish face that would make people, certainly women, go all caring over her. She was rather cute with those hazel eyes that were filled with excitement. She listened intently to the attractive nursemaid reading her a story.

At a point, her eyes travelled from the nursemaid to Jack instead. Her head tilted to the side as she wore a questioning look.

"Look Maria, a man," her girly voice said. Jack's eyes widened a bit as Maria looked up. She frowned by the sight.

"Good evening, sir. May I ask you how I can help you?"

"Maria is telling a fairytale, want to join?" the girl asked.

Jack let out a laugh. If it meant more moments with that beautiful nursemaid, he sure could put up with hearing a bloody fairytale. "Aye."

He sat down in an armchair and winked at the nursemaid. She blushed right away. What was this mansion of a place? It appeared as if only attractive women worked there.

"Sir, may I present you to the four years old Diana Lancaster," Maria gestured to Diana, the little girl that literally bounced in the couch. Jack grinned wryly at her.

"What a beautiful name," he complimented her. "Diana, I once knew a Diana," Diana grinned wider.

"And what's yours?"

"Captain Zack Jarrow."

"Captain Zack Jarrow?" she repeated and frowned musingly. "You sail ships?"

Maria shot Diana a look. "Diana," she said warningly. "Don't interrogate your father's guests."

So that was Christian's daughter? She didn't look like him at all. Perhaps her mother had dark hair and dark eyes. That Lord certainly didn't. If he had seen her anywhere else, he'd never believe she was the daughter of the Lord.

"What's interrogate?" she questioned confused.

Jack cleared his throat soundly. "It is when one be asking inappropriate questions, missy."

Diana frowned. "What's ina_..._ppriate?"

Maria let out a nervous laughter. "Inappropriate," she corrected. She knew Christian's friends. Many maids and servants had the Lancasters gotten rid of after complaints by guests. She covered Diana's mouth. "Never mind, Captain Jarrow."

Jack watched Maria contently. "No, I'll gladly tell her that," he said. "Inappropriate be when nobody shall talk about it," he turned to Diana.

"Like a secret?" she asked.

Jack made a face, but decided to agree. "Like a secret."

"Oh, I know tons of inappropriatives," she said excitedly. Maria shook her head.

"That's not a word, dear."

A maid appeared in the doorway. "Maria?" she quickly curtsied once seeing Jack. She made a nod and disappeared. Maria excused herself and followed her. A pause was made in the doorway.

"Behave," she told Diana sternly. Diana made an assuring nod and with that, Maria disappeared.

Diana grabbed the now closed book Maria had read from. She hurried over to Jack and threw it on his lap. "Please read."

He had a raised eyebrow. Perhaps it was time for him to leave. He had never been good with those miniatures. They always screamed if something that didn't please them occurred.

"Perhaps it's time for me to-," he was on his way to stand up when Diana stubbornly jumped up in his lap to force him back down.

"No," she disagreed. "Read me a story."

Even though she was only four years old and a sweetheart in everybody's eyes – she was the most determined person Jack ever had met. That was of course after a certain someone he hadn't seen in ages.

He winced and smiled nervously. "Come again?"

"Read me this?" she frowned stubbornly and crossed her arms. Oh no! Dangerous territory. What if she burst out crying?!

"What if I tell you one of my own stories?" he suggested in a tryout of making her demanding look disappear. In an instant, a smile broke across her face.

"Yes, a story from your own," she said.

"What kind of story?" he asked. When she looked weirdly at him, he went on. Whatever she'd pick, he'd choose a short one. He had to retreat to the dining room or they'd wonder where he had gone. "Adventure, drama, angst, comedy…," he tried but she didn't react at all. "…Romance," he mumbled, hoping she wouldn't pick it.

"Romance!" she squealed happily. "Romance! I want romance!"

Children… Gibbs had to remind him to never get any of those. They were never out of energy and nagged until they got their want through.

"A romantic story it is…," he began and thought about it. "How about a servant that once worked for a rich lady?"

Diana nodded.

"Alright, missy. Once upon a time there was a poor young lad. To eat and have roof over his poor head, he had to work. He decided to work in a big house where a beautiful young woman happened to live."

Diana grinned. "They fell in love?"

Jack shrugged. "Well, he had stirrings for her-."

"What are stirrings?"

Oh no. "Eh… stirrings."

"Feelings?"

Jack swallowed. "Well… aye, let's say that. He had feelings for her-."

"But did they fall in love?" Diana interrupted. After figuring she wouldn't budge until those two had fallen in love, Jack gave up.

"They did fall in love, happy?" he asked. Diana nodded happily. "But ye see young missy, there was a problem there. A poor lad doesn't marry a fine and rich woman like her."

"Why?"

"Because it be against the rules."

Diana looked confused. "What rules?"

Sighing, Jack hoped with all of his heart that somebody would notice his absence and go look for him. These questions were torturing him. "I don't know."

"Did they kiss?" Diana asked.

Jack grinned at her. "Aye, very much."

She made a disgusted face and grossed out sound.

By hearing the front door close, Diana's eyes were alerted. "Mommy!" she yelled and jumped down to the floor. She ran out of the room and left a relieved Jack behind. He remained in his couch and pulled his sleeve along his sweaty forehead.

Standing up ready to leave, he felt nothing but relief when Christian, Albert and Tom wandered inside the room. They all held a glass each, except for Albert that handed Jack one. "Rum?"

"Gladly!" Jack took the glass and poured it down his throat. He then turned to Christian. "Charming daughter you have."

Christian smiled slightly. "You've met, Diana?"

"Aye."

The Lord waved at Albert in a gesture, causing the friend to fumble up a paper. He put it on a coffee table and brought up a feather pencil.

"Regarding the contract of the job, you will sign here," he told Jack and pointed at the end of the paper.

A maid appeared in the doorway. "Lord Christian, Lady Lancaster has arrived."

Christian raised his glass a bit. "I'll be there," he said and excused himself as he left the room. Outside in the entrance room was Angelica with Diana in her arms as usual. That girl was such a mommy's girl she possibly could be. And he loved them both more than anything.

"You're home," he said and approached his wife. She still held little Diana in her embrace.

"The guests are still here. You might want to greet them."

"I will. I just need to adjust some details first," she said, regarding her looks. Christian chuckled.

"You look absolutely divine, Angelica."

She smiled by his compliment.

"Mommy, you must meet the man inside! Mr Jarrow. He told me a story-."

Diana's regular babbling about unimportant things were common daily stuff that the two parents went through each day. Therefore, Angelica only put the rambling girl down to the floor and headed for her private restroom.

Diana stayed behind with crossed arms and a frown. But as soon as Jack walked out through the doorway, she grinned. She'd run up to him and make him continue the story unless her father had been there. Around him she had to behave, thereby explaining her restraint of not moving a foot during the event.

A maid helped Jack put his outer coat on.

"Are you leaving already?" Albert asked astonished.

"A bit tired from the journey. Perhaps we'll see each other quite soon," Jack responded.

Christian nodded. "The celebration at the castle, the Royal family's house, maybe?"

If there was a princess to seduce… Of course Jack would be there. "I'll be there," he assured and left. Just as the maid closed the door, Angelica walked down the hallway.

"Albert, Tom," she greeted them. Albert was first to kiss her hand, one of the highlights of meeting Christian was the chance of perhaps meeting his wife. The same was for Tom. He had a wife, Mary York, that actually was a really good friend of Angelica. But who'd complain to the sight of such an attractive woman like Angelica? At points he had envied Christian.

"You look lovely as always, Angelica," he stated. She blushed slightly, mostly because that was how she should react. She pulled away her kissed hand and turned to her husband.

"There were four plates."

"Well, you just missed Mr Jarrow. He signed the contract and we are now working together."

Boring details. She wasn't truly interested in who her husband worked with or who he fired. It simply didn't attract her ears at all.

"Diana looks tired. I'll bring her to bed," she announced and walked over to the yawning child. She picked her up and carried her to the stairs. The tiny arms were wrapped around her neck when she carefully put her to bed in her bedroom.

"Mommy," she asked as Angelica put her under the covers.

"Yes, mi'ja?"

"Why are there rules of who you can marry?"

Angelica frowned. "What do you mean?" At once the vision of herself and her love back home in Port Royal popped up. Rules had broken them. Rules had forced them apart. Rules had killed him.

"Like a servant can't marry a rich girl."

Her eyes widened slightly by that for a brief second. Those words struck her sharply as a knife cutting her. Why had her daughter asked her those exact words?

"Where have you heard that?"

Tiredly in a yawn, Diana answered. "From a love story."

After a quiet laugh, Angelica caressed her cheek and left a kiss on her temple. "Sleep now, mi'ja."

On her way out, she stopped tracks in the doorway and looked over her shoulder. The pain struck her again. It felt as if it was over a decade ago everything happened, yet she remembered it as if it happened yesterday…

* * *

**A/N: I think I'll change the rating of this story to M, just to notify you ;) And what's your opinion about this chapter/story? Like it/Hate it? **


	3. Of how grateful love can be

**A/N: Thank you readers for the feedback! I like that there are questions about what happened between Jack and Angelica, and they will be answered in later chapters ;) **

* * *

**Chapter III – Of how grateful love can be**

Pirates of the Caribbean

**The man from apartment 512**

* * *

The following day was a late morning at the Lancasters. Around noon the trio was gathered around the dining table. A servant each attended with a position against the wall, so did a maid that stood still with clasped hands. Christian ate his breakfast calmly while the two females, an elder and a version of the elder, watched him finish the meal. After wiping his mouth, he made a nod in confirmation.

"After breakfast, Angelica, we shall head to the Lanlord," he informed her.

Angelica looked up. "Yes, Christian."

He left the room followed by a servant. When Angelica turned back to the table, Diana looked at her with glistening eyes.

"Can I eat?"

"Yes, mi'ja."

Immediately Diana began heaving the croissants with butter. Angelica was just about to begin eating when she paused. Snapping her fingers to a nursemaid, Maria placed her herself at once right by the child.

"Make sure she doesn't stain on her gown," Angelica said and kept an eye over Diana watchfully. The dress was a white one which Christian had paid a seamstress to sew for his beloved baby-girl. Angelica had no desire of her daughter ruining the expensive dress first time she wore it. Thereby a white bib was tied around her neck by another maid as the nursemaid helped Diana eat.

"Mommy, when are we seeing Liza?" she asked with a mouth filled with croissants. Crumbs fell down to the bib but were removed by maids.

Angelica swallowed the last piece of a croissant herself before responding. "This evening I believe I will see Gretel. Do you want to come and see Liza?"

Diana nodded eagerly. Then Angelica stood up and rounded the table, causing the maids to take a step back. She put her hand around Diana's shoulder to pull her in an embrace from behind.

"I'm leaving with your father."

"Where?" she asked unhappily.

Angelica kissed her cheek. "To an event," before Diana had time to ask if she could join, Angelica already answered her question. "It's grown-up talking." Well, _that_ was something boring. Diana made a face.

"Good bye, Mommy."

Angelica caressed her cheek before leaving the room. Diana finished her plate and reached out her hand for more. A nursemaid handed her another croissant and buttered it.

"What do you want to do today, Diana?" the nursemaid asked.

As if thinking of it musingly, Diana took some time on her answer. "I don't know."

After finishing the plate, she pushed it away from her. Servants began taking the dishes away from the table.

"How about going to the market?" Maria asked cheerfully. By Diana's lightening face, she figured the little girl approved of that idea. "There are pan and fruits that we have to buy."

A mere moment later, Diana together with her nursemaid piled into the cart. A servant drove them to the market place that was closer to the harbor. It was cloudy but the feeling in the town was the opposite of dull. People seemed happy and cheerful from the view from the passing cart. Diana bumped a bit in her seat in the cart and excitedly looked out through the window. She loved going to the market, or frankly, she just loved London over all. Strolling around the town was something she found enjoyable, as long as it wasn't a walk in the direction of the seamstress. She hated the hours spent there, standing still while the elder lady took measurements and tried on fabrics. Then her mother would _always_ find something that she wanted to try on and it was the most boring time possible for Diana.

But this day, she was satisfied with the noon spent in between stalls where people sold vegetables and other groceries. She had even managed talking Maria into buying her a caramel. First when Maria was handing coins to a seller, Diana's eyes travelled around the market to find something else she could pursue her nursemaid to buy her. Her dark brown eyes caught on a man that appeared familiar. Wasn't it that man who had told her the beginning of a love story? He was nice. Yes, he had been nice to her.

He hadn't seen her, and turned to a seller to buy something. Diana lit up and ran over there. She crashed onto his leg and hugged it, causing the poor man to jump slightly in surprise.

"Mr Jarrow!" she squealed happily. When the funny-looking man looked down at her with raised eyebrows, he faced the sight of a little missy grinning from ear to ear. She pulled in his coat impatiently for him to pick her up. He still looked oddly at her, not grasping her intention until she spoke it.

"Pick me up!"

What a demanding child. Jack scooped the girl up who giggled. "Hello, Mr Jarrow!"

"Hello there, missy."

Her tiny hands found his dreadlocks that were tied in a ponytail behind his head. She played with them and giggled louder. "Hair is funny."

He grinned wryly. "What are ye doing here?" he asked suspiciously. "Where are your parents?"

Ignoring that question, she went on. "You never finished the story."

Still seeing it odd a young and fine girl like her was there by herself, he frowned. "Does your parents or nursemaids know you be here, Diana?"

Her acting skills were equal her mother's. She put on an innocent face and a pout. "Um..."

"How about no?"

With his right arm around the little missy, Jack turned around to see a very angered nursemaid. She had her hands resting on her hips, a frown and she didn't seem content at all.

"Diana Lancaster! You know you aren't supposed to run off like that!" she told her off. Rather harshly, she snatched Diana from Jack's embrace while the girl babbled excuses of why she had disappeared.

"It be alright, m'lady," Jack winked at the nursemaid. "She found me."

The nursemaid stopped tracks after putting down Diana and peered. Then she curtsied in an instant. She recognized that man. He was a guest of Lord Christian.

"Forgive me Mr Jarrow, but Diana is not allowed to do that," she explained.

Examining her carefully, Jack found this woman very attractive. He grinned. "You be more appealing in daylight, Maria." For once he wanted to salute himself for recalling the correct name. He even managed see a smile slip from her. She blushed ashamed but eventually smiled.

"Thank you, Mr Jarrow for the compliment. I must say it was nice, but very inappropriate."

Diana shone up again. "It's a secret?!" Maria covered her mouth distantly with her hand but kept her eyes on the handsome man.

"Nah, call me Ja-Zack. No need of Mistering me."

Maria chuckled by his way of coming up with new words. She watched him below her long lashes. "Well, Diana and I shall go. Maybe I will see you around, _Zack_."

Once turning around and letting go of Diana's mouth, Jack joined by her side. Her eyes widened dramatically by his way of placing his hand softly on her lower back.

"Let me join you."

The man was well dressed, simple clothing but the fabrics revealed his wealth. Yet, Maria found him different from other rich men. This Mr Jarrow was actually talking to her as if she was a one of those rich people, not like how Lord Christian spoke to her. She felt human. Carefully, she glanced at him.

"Isn't there a Missis that will miss you?" she questioned and examined him in the corner of her eyes. She saw how he turned to her and chuckled.

"No, m'lady. There be no Missis in me life," Jack said, a certain someone playing in his mind. Only one potential Mrs had there been and she would never be able to join his side ever again. Kicking that thought out of his head, he put on a charming smile and a flirtatious look to the maid. "Although it's unwillingly there be no woman in me life." No wife was needed for his part, but mistresses were completely alright. His hand crept to her shoulder where he hugged her a bit to his side. Maria blushed further and tightened her hand slightly around Diana's.

"Mr Jarrow?" Diana said and released her hand from Maria's. She placed herself in front of him and raised her arms. By then, he took the gesture right away and lifted her. "Finish the story!" she requested impatiently.

He sighed. Apparently there was no way out of it. "You be a demanding little lassy," he stated sincerely. The girl looked at him blankly. "Well then, where were we?"

"Where the rich woman fell in love with the servant," she said. Unnoticed, Maria had raised eyebrows and gave Jack an odd look. What in the world?! "How did they fall in love, Mr Jarrow?"

Taking a deep breath, Jack though about it. "How did they fall in love?" he repeated whilst thinking of the answer. Was there really an answer? He didn't know, because he wasn't sure himself. "Ye see, missy, this servant probably always saw this young woman as a special one," he admitted. Diana listened immediately intently to him.

"And that young woman truly saw that servant differently as well, but she denied it. She died it until the first time they kissed. She had followed him downtown because she saw him stealing her cutlery and jewels. Therefore with a want of capturing him, she was led into trouble herself. Men tried to attack her and _who_ saved her life?"

"The servant!" Diana replied.

"Aye, the servant. After that they kissed, and they slowly…," Jack made a discreet face. "Fell in love."

When he didn't continue, Diana frowned. "More!"

"End of story," Jack said.

Diana still didn't look pleased. "They married and lived happily ever after?"

Jack gulped. A wave of emotions went through him. If he'd end the story the way it truly did end, Diana would probably become traumatized and hate him. He had no wish in that, thus deciding to change the fact. "Aye."

That was all it took for a content expression to appear.

"Can you tell-."

"No!" Maria intervened. Jack gave her an appreciate look and Diana looked something between startled and disappointed. "No more stories for today, Diana. Leave the poor man alone."

"But-."

"I must go anyhow," Jack said and put Diana down. "I am meeting your father at the Lanlord," he confirmed.

"The Lanlord?" Maria asked. "It so happens that we are heading there as well. Lady Lancaster is waiting for her daughter there," she indicated to Diana.

* * *

The couches had been imported from Africa only months ago. Smelling the odor of fresh linen, it was a great addition to the new lobby that had been built. Angelica had personally decorated it due lack of hobbies. While her friends had joined their husbands on trips, she had been left alone in London for a month and remodelled the hotel. Much to the Lord's approval though. He loved the hotel and no parties the first months afterwards hadn't been without a proud compliment coming from him. Bragging about his wife was quite something. She was useful, much that couldn't be said of other's.

Being Angelica's personal favorite furniture, it wasn't strange at all that her husband's meetings meant her and the guests' wives remaining in the group of couches. Gracefully they had a tea party and gossiped. Always gossip. She had to admit it wasn't fun and interesting anymore. Everything had fallen the day she lost Jack. Nothing truly was enjoyable anymore. It was a joy to see her daughter improve, raise her and try to _not_ make her into a complete spoiled young lady like she had been herself. But it was hard. She had obligations. Being married to a Lord required certain ways of living, particular ways of acting.

Gretel Adler, Mary York and Gabriella Parker were there. So was Liza, impatiently waiting for Diana.

"When will Diana be here, Mrs Lancaster?" Liza asked politely, yet dieing inside of impatience.

Her mother gave her a look. "Liza, you have been asking Angelica too many times already."

Angelica smiled warmly though and shook her head. "Diana should be here by now. Our nursemaid will bring her here anytime."

It was all it took before the familiar sound of her daughter shouting 'Mommy' all over the place was heard from behind her. She didn't even turn around in the couch, but awaited her running daughter to round the couch and hug her.

"Mommy! Maria took me to the market. And we met Mr Jarrow there. First I saw a man but then I looked and he was Mr Jarrow! And we-."

"Diana!" Liza interrupted. The miniature of Gretel had slid down from the coach to approach her best friend.

Diana had stopped rambling and turned around from Angelica. "Liza!" she lit up. "Want to play?!"

Nodding eagerly, Liza revealed her approval. Turning to her mother again, Diana grinned sweetly. "Mommy, can I go playing?"

Angelica nodded. "Yes, mi'ja."

She was just about to run off when Angelica grabbed her wrist and pulled her back. Diana whined but let her mother adjust the rosette in her hair. She had a tendency of being too active for it to stay perfect. Then she felt how a big wet kiss was placed on her cheek. Remembering Mr Jarrow, she spun around to her mother in the couch.

"But Mommy, you must meet Mr Jarrow."

Angelica rolled her eyes.

* * *

As soon as Jack had entered the lobby of the Lanlord, Diana had fortunately run off. A bit of alone time with the maid had been made. At first, he had said a couple of charming compliments to her. Then, he had seen Diana in his vision and the woman he assumed was her mother. She had her back against him – but Lord she reminded him of Angelica. Even if he deep inside knew it wasn't her.

At last, Maria had fixed his suit a bit, prepared him for the appointment the Lord would hold and he snapped back into reality.

"Call him by the title," she helped him. "It's very likely that he will fancy you and you get better paid."

Jack grinned. "Who'd know you'd be to this much of a help?"

Maria smiled. "It's my job. It's what I am devoted to, forever and only will be – the help."

Trying to cheer her up a bit, Jack put his fingertips below her chin to cause her to look up. "Have faith, m'lady. Once I was a servant."

How nice wasn't he? Really, he felt as a true gentleman. He sure did progress, but that Maria was still way too attractive to not have in bed. He winked at her and crossed the room to enter the dining room. Again, missing the face of Diana's mother.

* * *

**A/N: Okay, that was chapter 3. What's your opinion? **What do _you_ want to see in this fic? **Really, tell me. If there is a wish or opinion, I usually do that scene or add more romance/less romance or whatever you want! Is there anything? - Tell me! I am writing this for _You_ to read. ;) **


	4. The sweet love story

**A/N: Okay, next update you will see will be from A Spanish Lullaby ;). Thanks again for the feedback. It's what brings this story forward! **

**Freeatpeace: Lovely idea, let's see what we can do about that ;) I really liked it! Personally, I had a similar plan but you made me develop it! Thanks! **

* * *

**Chapter IV – The sweet love story**

Pirates of the Caribbean

**The man from apartment 512**

* * *

The little envelope was lying on top of a bureau in the suite 512. It was opened and a letter could be dimly seen. It was folded, but the black written letters shone through the thin paperwork. For Jack, it was a personal invitation from the royal court. A typical ball was held in King George's palace. Rumors surrounding him of being a very wealthy merchant and supposedly they were true; the invitation had been a matter of course for the King. Obviously no important people wouldn't miss receiving an invitation and Jack was no exception. Being none other than Jack, naturally he wouldn't let it slip. A feast crowded by fancy ladies, which was just what he urged for.

For hours he had paced the room back and forth, between the closet and the bed where he put the attire. During this time, he had wondered what to wear. Trying to dress up as a classy man was harder than taking down Blackbeard himself. Or at least, it must be. Jack wasn't born to put fancy clothes on and make him appear as wealthy as possible. He was used to simply jump into dirty clothes he literally had kept since his late teenage years.

At last the found a suit he decided to wear, also involving a foolish white wig. It was necessary, but he hated his looks in it. Although, it was no ordinary wig. He had asked the wigmaker to make dreadlocks of this white hair, therefore it looked like an elder version of him, yet Captain Jack Sparrow was still in there.

He put all of the clothing on and headed down to the lobby. A cart was already waiting for him outside. By a nod, the servant approved his arrival and immediately took off. The streets of London weren't many until they arrived outside the castle. It was a large palace with guards surrounding it. Lots of other carts were in line, both in front of him and after. All people were carefully examined as they approached the big entrance. Jack joined the queue and smiled nervously when a guard peered at him.

When Jack looked over his shoulder, he saw a lady smirking at him. A man stood by her side with his arm protectively around her waist, or perhaps it was to keep other men away? His own gaze was somewhere else and it seemed as if his wife took that opportunity to eye-flirt with Jack instead. Naturally, Jack reflected her smirk and winked. She was an attractive one, a fine brunette with a yellow dress, tightening around her slim waist. Perfect. She was definitely his type. As long as she was in the grip of her husband she was safe, but sometime in the long evening, he should be able to get his hands on her.

It was pretty much crowded inside. Rich gentlemen and ladies everywhere. Servants ran around with a tray filled with drinks.

"A drink, sir?" One approached Jack and he gladly took two. The servant raised his eyebrows by his action, but then hurried to offer a drink to another guest.

The liquid of alcohol was poured down Jack's throat. He made a face. What was that?! Wine? Ugh, he hated that infernal taste. Rum or the liquid should be poured in a trashcan.

A familiar man stepped in front of Jack. He was fat and wore a golden decorated suit.

"Captain Jarrow? What a lovely surprise to find you here," the man said. Finding it hard to remember his name, Jack's eyes narrowed.

"Sir Albert Quentin," Albert presented himself. "It must be hard to recall all of the names here in London."

"Ye-es," Jack said and grinned nervously again.

Albert snatched a drink from a servant that passed by. He gulped it down in an instant and then smiled contently. "Lovely, what a magnificent liquor."

Not answering, Jack's attention was instead around the room trying to find the lady he previously had seen. He needed a woman.

"Lord Christian and his wife should be here," Albert explained. Jack turned back to Albert. "Perhaps we can discuss further about the agreement."

Jack smiled wryly. "Aye," he then narrowed his eyes again. "Isn't there any lady by ye side?" he was rather blunt, but Albert took it well. Strangers that weren't from England had a tendency of acting differently and impolitely without comprehending it. Therefore, he only smiled at Jack and instead decided to reply genuinely to his question. He seemed nice after all and to top it, he was an important client he couldn't afford losing.

His gaze had stuck on his feet for a brief moment before looking up. "My wife died in childbirth two years ago."

Jack's mouth was formed as an 'O' in shock. "My apologies, Mr Quentin."

Albert nodded. "It was a long time ago."

Then the trumpets made a sound, a sound they did whenever there was an announcement. Lancers were in two lines, creating an aisle between them. They had trumpets in their hands and stood rigidly as the crowd formed behind them to see what was going on. Whispers and cheers escaped the guests' mouths when a big man appeared. Jack assumed he was the King, King George. By his side walked a stunning woman. If he wasn't wrong he recalled her as Sophia Dorothea. He had seen her in France and it had been a quite memorable moment in her summerhouse. He'd love to do it again. The well-known mischievous grin broke across Jack's lips. That woman would also be claimed as his for a second time before he left town.

King George was standing on a plateau a bit higher than the ground floor to see over the guests. He had raised his jewel cane and adjusted his Rubin crown. "Welcome guests! Let's celebrate this night with a never ending feast!"

At that, the lancers tried making their escape whilst guests began mingling around again. Albert had disappeared but that didn't do Jack anything. Firstly, he'd do attempts in tracking down the mystery woman who had stood behind him in the line. She would be his treasure for the night.

He saw a brown-haired lady across the room. She was in that lighter yellow-colored dress. A fan was in her hands which she fanned close to her face. The waist was just made for him to sneak his arms around. He frowned when he saw a man's hand rest on her lower back. Did her husband ever leave her side?!

"Hello."

A female voice. Jack turned around to see the woman who had been standing behind him. His eyebrow quirked.

"Hello, love?" he asked astonished. Wasn't that woman standing across the room?

"I saw you before, and I must admit that I thought…," her words died as Jack turned back around. Wasn't that other lady this woman? Were there two of them?

He looked even more surprised when he saw that the man the hand belonged to was Lord Christian. Was that woman his wife then? His assumed wife turned around. Her front was even more appealing to Jack. _She_ was his new conquest. His eyes travelled from her hidden shoes up to pause on her breast. Those he wanted to grab, being pressed by the corset beneath which he'd rip off at once. His lustful and hungry eyes moved further up only to make his world stop. The smile, the eyes… the face. Maybe his heart even stopped for that moment.

Angelica.

The woman behind him said something but Jack had forgotten her a long time ago. He grunted and turned around. She couldn't see him. Not now. He wasn't ready. What was she doing there? Was she Lord Christian's wife? - He had to escape.

He penetrated the crowd dramatically and stormed outside to the porch. A deep inhale was made before clenching his eyes shut. His hands rested on the marble fence that surrounded the porch. He needed fresh air.

"Excuse me sir, rum?" a servant asked from behind him.

"Aye," Jack said and turned around to take the whole tray. He drank all of the drinks and groaned. Goddamn it, what was that woman doing there? Of course she was Lord Christian's wife! How couldn't he have remembered him? He should have done it. Ugh, he hated that man more than anything. Without knowing it, he had clenched his fists so hard two classes had cracked and eventually broken in his hands. Angrily he threw them away.

"Isn't it, Captain Jarrow?"

Jack looked over his shoulder. _Wonderful_.

The Lord moved to stand beside him and view over the large fenced garden. "It appears to be a bit chilly tonight, am I right?"

Jack shot him a death glare, although Christian didn't catch it. "It does."

"I came outside to ask if you'd like to come to my house after this ball. There are some drawings of a potential edifice in New England I'd like you to see."

Jack looked at Christian weirdly. "The ball just began."

Christian grinned. "You'll learn Captain Jarrow, that here in London balls aren't for having fun. They are for making one's appearance and show off, bragging if possible. My wife and I will leave right away."

Jack's eyes looked over Christian's shoulders in a tryout of catching a glimpse of the laughing Angelica. Lord how he wanted to shove the people away, grab her arm and take her away for some alone time.

Still, with the biggest longing, _craving_, he managed forcing a smile to appear. "I'll be there."

Christian made a nod and went back inside the big chamber. Jack watched Lord Christian interrupt Angelica's chat with her new friends. He witnessed how she reluctantly had to say goodbye to them and retreat. As soon as she left the room, he entered it.

* * *

A maid opened the door and welcomed them home. Quickly two servants appeared by their sides to help them undress the coats.

"I was having a nice time," Angelica complained, still upset he had shortened her ball night.

Without any remorse in his voice, Christian simply explained. "We are having a guest over. He shall be here anytime and I suggest you to attend."

Angelica gave him a refusing look. She had no plans to fawn for her husband's clients to make them more willing to work for him.

"I want you to greet him nicely."

She shook her head to clarify the situation. "Christian, I am tired and would only lead to making this contract to a disaster."

Christian stopped tracks and turned to his wife. He wore a frown for a while, clearly disliking her refusal. But then his expression warmed. "Goodnight then."

He kissed her hand and watched her head up the stairs. He gestured for the maids to follow her. He hadn't time to do more before someone knocked on the front door. A maid hurried over to it and opened it. Jack was standing there with a wondering look as if expecting someone to tell him something.

Christian gestured for him to enter. "Please enter, Captain Jarrow."

Jack entered graciously and easily handed a coat over to the maid. She took it and walked into another room to hang it there.

"You were speaking of drawings of some sort," Jack said, pretending to be into the question and answer, even if his eyes carefully yet desperately scanned the room. Somewhere the Mrs should be. Maria came inside from another room. Once seeing Jack, she blushed and looked shamefully away. Realizing his woman wasn't there, Jack smirked at the maid.

Christian was walking beside his guest. "It so happens that I bought a piece of land in New England."

"New England, ye say?" Jack asked while still scanning the room and shooting flirtatious looks to Maria.

"Yes, New England. I was thinking about the north. It's said that this large town is being built on Long Island. I suppose it should be a magnificent place to build a new hotel."

He walked through a doorframe but Jack paused in the doorway. "How does this involve me?"

Without turning around, Christian examined the papers over a desk. "Look at these drawings, Captain Jarrow."

With raised eyebrows, Jack approached his side and gazed over the drawings. He quickly realized there was a big hotel he was planning to construct.

"You see there is a big amount of material that has to get transported across the Atlantic Ocean."

Still Jack looked at Christian oddly. "Aye, I can see that."

Turning his determined eyes from the papers, they instead focused on Jack's coming reaction. "I'd like you to execute the order," he confirmed. "To transport all of the material safely to the other continent, and thereby you will receive a hundred thousands golden coins."

That was after all a tempting offer. There was no true obstacle in transporting across the ocean. Honestly, nothing truly happened to him. Barbossa was captured and pirates usually hung around the Caribbean seas. If not, rumors would reach his ears about their location before they found him or his marine.

After musingly considering the idea of it, he made a final nod. "Aye, deal. Agreed."

Christian smiled widely. "Wonderful."

Where was Angelica? Distantly, Jack looked around. She should be there. That idiot of a drip was attending the room, why wasn't his darling doing it? How he truly wanted to stab that man. Of all of his deep heart, he despised that Christopher or what's-his-face more than anything. Only admitted to his inner self – but Christian was hated more than Barbossa who mutinied on the Pearl. This man had taken something way more precious.

"I just realized something," Jack announced and immediately got Christian's full attention. "I've never met the Mrs."

Christian responded with a quirked eyebrow.

"Ye have a daughter," he cringed by that fact. "Thus I assume there is a wife."

With a grin, a bloody irritating grin, Christian replied. "Yes, there is. The most beautiful one you'll ever see."

Oh, he could bet!

"Well, where is she?" Jack asked, the impatience in his voice undeniable.

"You just missed her," oh bugger! "She just went upstairs as you arrived, Captain Jarrow. Believing she is asleep at the moment, I assure there will be more opportunities to meet her."

There was no way Jack would leave until he had seen her. Just once.

"Was that all then?" Jack asked, ready to leave.

"Yes, I believe so. Next time we see each other must be on the Adlers' ball, mustn't it?" Christian questioned.

"Yes," with a nod, Jack left the room. He was just about to call for a maid or servant, when he realized the entrance room actually was empty. Watchfully, his eyes swept over the room. Nobody would know if he stayed for a while. Just a little while. Quietly as a mouse, he crept upstairs. Darkness covered the whole hallway, but candlelight was lit along the walls. Thankfully, the door that attracted his vision was especially luxurious with golden decorations and unnecessary details, causing him to pick it. It must be the head bedchamber. He snatched a torch nearby and carefully pulled down the handle. For that brief moment, it was as if his world paused.

There was a big bed with the mattress pretty high up. With her cheek buried in the fluffy pillow, lay Angelica. Her long dark hair was loosely around her shoulders and covered parts of her white sleeved arms. Parts of her white nightgown were visible but mainly she was covered by the cover. She breathed easily and seemed to sleep so peacefully.

He approached the bed and held the torch not far from her, his eyes examining her. It had been such a long time ago since the true last time he saw her. The last time he ran his fingers over her lips and had her all for himself.

Carefully, he rounded the bed and sat down beside her. His hand rested over her body in the bed, making the mattress dip a bit on her other side as he from behind her leaned over. He was a bare decimetre from her angelic face. He grew at once. Those lips were meant to be surrounded by his, those breasts were meant for him to devour, those hands were for his part to hold tightly while teasingly kissing her collarbone and make love to her all night long.

The sound of someone walking down the hallway made him jump from the soft furniture. His eyes were about to pop in panic. Fast as a shooting star, he blew out the flames of the torch and backed up against the wall. It was just in time he snuck behind the door, as Christian came into the room in a nightgown. He sat down on the edge of the bed and took of slippers. Then he lay down beside his wife, causing Jack's eyes to darken.

Angelica mumbled something.

"Aren't you asleep, Angelica?"

"I was," she spoke softly.

Oh, Lord, that voice. Again, Jack craved for going firmly over to the bed and take his woman back.

"My apologies."

"It's alright." Ugh, there was a smacking sound, revealing they had kissed. It was impossible for Jack to see by the darkness, but the sound was familiar to him.

"Please just don't shine with a torch in my face again, Christian."

Jack's eyes went wide.

"Huh?"

Angelica murmured something for an answer, obviously falling back asleep. "Hmm…"

"Huh?" Christian asked confused. "Angelica?"

After hearing Christian sigh, Jack let out a breath he didn't know he had been holding. What a relief. He waited until hearing Christian's snoring before escaping.

* * *

**A/N: Any opinion? :) You are very welcome to bring ideas! Of course I do have a plan but scenes you want are always fun to know about and perhaps thereby include! **


	5. That is older than the sea

**A/N: Thank you for the feedback! (A Spanish Lullaby will be updated soon). **

* * *

**Chapter V – That is older than the sea **

Pirates of the Caribbean

**The man from apartment 512**

* * *

Seagulls had landed on the windowsill of Jack's suite. They croaked as if they panicked, but still remained there. It was all it took for Jack to wake up. The forenoon sun might have been an influence as well.

His face had been buried down in a pillow with arms outreached in opposite directions. The bed had been built way too comfortable for him to manage getting up from. Specially days like that when he had nothing of importance to execute. Only thing that preoccupied his mind was Angelica. She was there. And then the question about Diana. That little moment they had managed receiving at the Pearl, she must have claimed she was carrying his child. And Maria, the nursemaid had revealed her age of four years. It was around five years that had happened. She must be his.

He sat up and slowly wandered over to the window, only reason to scare the chatting seagulls away. At once a peaceful silence fell in the late morning. Contently, he stretched his arms out and yawned. Staying in the suite all day wouldn't do any good. Perhaps he could head down to the Pearl and see how the crew took care of it. Soon they'd leave London. He could live a quite spontaneous day. Catch up with Gibbs and drink some rum. Yesterday hadn't been filled with enough rum to leave him with a headache the following morning. He felt fit as a fiddle, maybe even better than when he was in a drunken state. Only thing that burdened him was the thought of drama. Why did it always surround him?

He got dressed. A dark coat was thrown around his white shirt and white pants that were tucked into golden decorated boots. He walked down the stairs with the Lancaster's home as target. He could improvise and come up with a plan to make his way in there, any reason to face Angelica.

Instead, he crashed into a miniature of her in the lobby. The girl fell backwards into the ground and began crying. Oh, no. He despised those screaming little creatures for this specific reason. Plus, women gave him the cold shoulder once he made a child cry. It wasn't something he wanted to do, he was just clumsy and had no idea how to comfort them.

At once he crouched beside Diana and helped her up. She sniffled while Jack wiped her tears away.

"Sorry, missy," he apologized and gave her a small smile. She continued crying and threw her arms around him. Carefully with no directions of what to do, he embraced her and pulled her tighter.

Maria had seen what happened and hurried over to them, but then she paused once seeing Jack's comfort and remained there. Even if Diana was her responsibility, that Mister was a client of her host and he could easily replace her position if she displeased him in any way. Last thing she wanted to do was bothering him.

When Diana had quietened, she pulled back. When Jack wiped her tears away that time, his eyes examined her face very accurately. He could bet his own life on the fact that she was his daughter. Such a sweet girl she was. She was his little lassy. His little baby-lassy. Why hadn't Angelica told him about her, that she had given birth? He recalled vaguely how she claimed something about a miniature of them arriving, but it wasn't like she actually in fact had said it out clearly. She could at least have sent him a letter to tell him his Diana was here. He couldn't help but to feel a red fire burning in him. He deserved knowing they had a miniature running around.

He fished up golden coins. "Will these make ye feel better?" Women his age always felt better once he gave them things, particularly golden money. A miniature must be the same.

By the sudden grin and how she snatched them, he became aware it was. Diana grinned and hugged him again.

"Thank you, Mr Jarrow!" she exclaimed over his shoulder, her little hands buried in his wig.

He felt the urge to correct her way of not titling him, but he restrained himself. All he truly wanted her to call him was a title she'd probably never know about. Father. Dad. Daddy. Papi. Papa. She definitely had Angelica's stubbornness and force in her. The fire in her Latin blood. Just her ways of making him tell her stories revealed Angelica's side in her.

"Mr Jarrow, can you take me to the market place?" as he stood up, the little girl's gaze followed his movement with big pouty eyes. "Please."

"Aren't your nursemaids or so he…," his eyes had scanned the room for anyone from the little princess's entourage. They found Maria, only standing a couple of metres away with an observing look.

"Captain Jarrow," she made a nod and curtsied when he saw her. That woman was one of those who were lucky. Her looks were absorbing and if he'd found her at a brothel there would be nothing that could stop him. Truly, that woman shouldn't be serving others.

Ignoring Diana's question, Jack put his hand on the back of her head and gently shoved her with him towards Maria, his eyes never leaving Maria's small smile.

"Good morning, love."

Maria blushed. "If you say it is a good morning," she said. "Well then it is."

Diana pulled in fabrics that were reachable from Jack and Maria's attires. "Hello! I want to go to the market place!"

Demanding kiddo she was. At least she managed snapping Jack out of his trance and force his attention down to her.

"Take me to the market place, please," she looked into his eyes innocently.

"Diana that is out of question. I need to stay by your father's side in this serving-order," Maria told her firmly. Then she turned to Jack. "There is a disease going on between the staff. One get infected by day and dies a couple of days later."

Jack frowned. "Doesn't sound appealing."

Maria nodded. "It isn't. Lots of coughing and then the grave."

Not really caring of the disease, Jack went straight to asking a question he'd longed for asking for quite some time. "When this sickness be over, ye might approve of an evening out with me."

"With you?" Maria had raised eyebrows. The hopefulness could still shine through her expression.

"Aye, with me."

She gave him a small smile that she tried to hide. "Whenever you want, Captain."

For a moment, longer than it should have lasted, they looked into each others' eyes. Slowly, her mouth opened. "There is just of importance I won't be occupied by either Lord Lancaster nor Diana," it was a silence before her eyes went wide. She looked down to face Diana but found the spot empty. "Diana?" she questioned. Jack spun around to find her. Actually, he wasn't fully sure she was his, yet he felt this worry grow in him as if his life depended on finding her unharmed.

"Diana?!" Maria's voice asked louder. It took a mere second before Christian stood in the entrance, followed by two guards. Diana stood… rather formally by his side. She looked up to her father.

"I'd love to visit the market place," she repeated her demand. Christian being out of solution, simply told her the truth.

"That cannot happen, Diana. Your nursemaid has to help out for this very important event I am about to hold."

"Yes, father." Disappointedly with her head down, she walked over to a couch where she sat down.

Without giving Jack a look that'd tell the others they had conversed like ordinary people, Maria wandered over to Christian and disappeared into the diningroom.

"Isn't it Captain Jarrow?" Christian asked surprised when seeing Jack. Jack grinned.

"That be me, Lord Christian."

He walked over and they shook hand saluting. "I hadn't forgotten you lived here, but still it surprises me to find such high class living at my hotel." What was that? Was he trying to suck up for Jack? Jack had a quirked eyebrow but let the weird expression fall.

"It is a spectacular hotel," Jack made up and let his eyes wander around the place. Two of three Lancasters were there. Where was the third? "Money never ceases to amaze me," he continued distantly.

"Money is all, isn't it?" Christian questioned. Jack turned his attention back to him. "That is why we will work great together, Captain Jarrow. Together we will be able to create a large business and expand our wealth."

Jack shrugged lazily.

The glass of red wine was lifted to brush lightly against Christian's lips before he sipped on it. "And then let our children inherit the great fortune." By Jack's frown, it was also impossible for Christian to miss his discomfort. "You don't have a family, Captain Jarrow?"

"Not yet," he answered, trying to give an honest reply but not showing any emotion in it.

"Don't you have a wife?"

Jack looked almost amusingly at Christian, as if he considered telling him or if he perhaps shouldn't. "I once had one I considered wife. One that would become one."

Christian listened.

"But she was taken away from me."

"No, how could you let anyone do that?" Christian wondered. "I would've taken her back."

Jack swallowed and smiled slightly. "You see, she had already married another one. And it appears as if they have a daughter by now."

Christian handed his glass to a guard. "I can tell you with no remorse that I'd do _anything_ to take my wife back if anyone would lay their fingers on her. She was claimed mine first time I saw her, and since then – I'd make sure any threat would get killed."

Jack folded his arms. "I wouldn't bet against that," he said honestly with a clenched jaw. It wasn't noticed by Christian though.

"And now if you forgive me, I am supposed to have an appointment with another client. And to top it I must find a new maid that can take care of Diana," he nodded in the direction of where Diana sat, grumbling bitterly at her not being allowed to go to the market.

Jack turned back to Christian with a sudden grin. "I heard she wanted to visit the market place."

When Christian showed he waited for more, Jack went on. "I have no real plans for this day. I can take her there."

Christian smiled. "Thank you, Captain Jarrow. How could I possibly have a better friend than you?" Friend? Friend?! Did he honestly believe Jack was his friend? He couldn't be more wrong. "Diana will be so happy." He made a final nod and turned on his heels, leaving Jack in the lobby.

Once he whirled around in the direction of Diana and got the sight of her, he must have admitted it was scary. She was after all not shy at all, very dangerous. If she'd disappear out there, he'd be in trouble. But he wouldn't let that happen.

He walked over to the couch. This was exactly what he needed. Someone to interrogate without them suspecting it.

"Are you in love with Maria?"

The question was blunt and caused Jack to jump back up from the couch. It seemed as if he was the one that was going to be interrogated. "Come again?"

"You love Maria."

Jack shook his head nervously. "No I don't, dear."

Diana didn't look convinced. "Is she going to be your wife?"

Jack looked confused and chuckled. "No."

"But you don't have one," she said. "I heard when you spoke to my father."

Father? Ugh, Jack swore that the Lord wasn't her Dad and it irritated him highly. "_Diana_," his way of saying it caused her to immediately close her mouth and clasp her hands formally. She knew when she had said too much and that way of speaking her name meant she had to behave.

"I am sorry, Mr Jarrow."

What was that? He managed shutting the girl? And actually make her behave?! Just by saying her name?! He was good! But at the same time, he felt guilty he had put her eager child-mood aside.

"I was thinking of heading to the market place, care to join?"

Diana brightened as if she held a lit candle below her angelic face. "Yes, please!" she slid down from the couch and Jack stood up. While examining the time on his clock, he felt how a tiny hand slid into his. Astonished, he looked down to see the oblivious Diana rocking back and forth on her heels while waiting for him to get ready, her hand already prepared in his.

Jack put the clock back into his pocket and began walking, the girl quick on her steps to not fall behind. "Come on then."

The doorman opened the door for the two, Jack also relieved to leave the hotel equal much as Diana. She hated spending time there, mostly because she was there all the time if not being home. Adventures awaited her downtown on the market place. She strutted happily beside Jack with her hand in his, his firm grasp holding hers tightly to not let hers get released. Last thing he wanted was her running off. Knowing his personality as a young child, he figured Diana must have the same intentions.

"So what is so particular about the market?" he questioned.

Diana grinned. "Being outside. Adventures."

Whenever he had eye contact with someone, he made a nod and so did they. It was a bit odd to behave this way. Normally, he'd run as far as possible with the Navy hot on his heels, not in fact greeting them and get greeted back nicely. As expected it was crowded at the market place. Women stood by men's side around stalls where food and rubbish were sold. Jack stopped tracks once feeling Diana's pause. Her eyes had gotten stuck on something and it wasn't until she pointed that Jack saw what she wanted.

"I am hungry and I want bread," always demanding. Obviously her nursemaids and other maids let her have anything that pleased her. If Jack had to acknowledge it himself, he found that bread stall very alluring. Missing breakfast left traces of hunger in him.

Not exactly refusing what could be interpreted as a request, he instead approved of her idea. "Then let's go have some bread."

A smile formed Diana's lips as she looked up at him. Together, hand-in-hand they strolled over to the stall. Carefully he lifted her up to gaze over the counter. Her hazel eyes searched among the sorts. The salesman who just had sold a bag of bread to a costumer waited for Jack's order, or the girl's as it appeared.

"What kind of bread would you like to have?" he asked politely.

Diana pointed at one. "That one."

The salesman looked at Jack for permission.

"And that is alright with you, sir?"

"Aye," Jack said. "The bread the little missy asks for."

Diana reflected the smile the salesman wore as he handed her the bread. "That will be one coin, sir."

Jack dropped a coin in the salesman's hand.

"What a cute daughter you have."

The compliment struck Jack at once. Daughter? Surprised, he looked down at Diana who shook her head.

"Mr Jarrow is not my father," she said. While thousands of thoughts thundered in Jack, he gave the confused salesman a small smile before turning on his heels. He put Diana down and cracked the bread into two pieces.

"Here's one for you and one for me."

Diana took a big bite and grinned. "Thank you, Mr Jarrow!"

As he stood up again, something clinked on the ground. It wasn't until the curious lass had picked it up that he saw the item. His best friend after the Pearl, sharing second-best place with Gibbs – his compass.

Diana squinted whilst chewing on the bread and staring at the strange article. "What's this?"

Jack reached out for it but she snatched it away from his reach to hold it away from him.

"It's a compass," he sighed.

"A compass? What does it do?"

"A usual one points to the north, but this one is special," he told her, clearly gaining all of her curiousity. "It points to the thing you want the most."

Firmly the needle was pointing in one direction. It wasn't much of a surprise when the two of them followed the needle's direction and found a stall of porcelain dolls.

"I want a doll?" she asked or stated, Jack couldn't tell. Probably the compass had revealed an opinion she had no idea about. In her amazed state, Jack snatched the compass back while praying she wouldn't burst out crying. She didn't. Instead, she turned to him with big deer eyes.

"Can I have a doll?" she asked and blinked sweetly. "Please?"

Jack rolled his eyes. "Finish the bread first," he said, deciding to parent her.

He found it surprising that he child actually listened to what she was told. Immediately she shoved the rest of the bread down her throat.

"Now?" she smiled innocently.

"Ye're getting me broke, missy."

He guided her over to the porcelain stall and picked her up again. Again she found one she fancied and he bought it. While paying for it, he set her back down to the ground with the new glistening doll in her hands. What he didn't take a note of, which of course _she_ did, was how his compass again fell out of the pocket. Diana was fast to pick it up, even faster to push it into her pocket just in time before he looked down at her with a grin.

She grinned back, pretending nothing happened. She'd never tell him. Instead, she focused on her new porcelain doll with a silk dress. She heard Mr Jarrow say something about _Rum_ and before she knew it, he had grabbed her hand and dragged her across the market.

"What's rum?" she asked.

"A very good liquid, missy."

"Rum…," she mumbled. "Can I taste it too?"

Jack chuckled. "If I'd want to get hanged," he declared. "Your parents won't approve."

Disappointedly Diana frowned. But Jack gave her no sympathy and turned to the counter where he began speaking with the salesman.

He truly didn't budge by her pout and it upset her. With the lowered eyebrows, she whirled around. There were people everywhere. There were old people and even young ones in her age.

But it was a barking little puppy that caught her attention. That one looked extremely cute. It was tiny and would fit in a hat.

She glanced up to Jack, seeing that he still was occupied with the rum. Quickly she ran across the market to the little puppy. She crouched beside it and began caressing the little sweetie.

"Hello there little puppy," she spoke calmly while caressing it.

All the while Jack went on with his purchase. He tasted a couple of rums, deciding to go with the more expensive ones. Now that he had legal money to spend, why not put them all on his favorite liquid? He bought three bottles for the night. It would only suffice for an hour but he'd return when he was out of the drink. The absence of the little kiddo was noticed when he had paid the salesman and turned around. His heart began pounding as if he was about to have a heart attack. With widened eyes he scanned the area. Bloody hell, where was she?! There wasn't irritation of her disappearance, but plain anxiety he had no idea where she was. If she was hurt or had been abducted.

"Diana?!" he spoke in a loud voice, hoping she'd pop up from nowhere. "Diana!" Alright, now he was real worried.

Then out of the blue, he saw her crouching next to a puppy she was stroking. A wave of relief washed over him. Firmly he crossed the market and folded his arms when he approached her.

He cleared his throat to let her know he was standing beside her, causing her to jump and stand up. "_Diana_, what do ye think my thought be of you running away without telling me?"

She swallowed nervously and put on the innocent and sweet face anybody bought. "I didn't mean to, Mr Jarrow. I'm sorry…" 'Course Jack would buy it. He did. Only her mother didn't. She knew Diana too well. Right away Jack felt guilty and released his folded arms that added that hard-faced and stern manly figure. He nodded in the direction of the exit.

"Just don't do it again. Now let's go back."

With the doll in one hand and the other now in a real firm grasp in Jack's hand, they walked back towards the Lanlord.

There was this feeling in Jack, that he felt protective over her. Either way it was because she simply was Angelica's daughter, or it was the fact that he assumed she was his too. In any case, he knew he was rather found of her and felt some kind of duty that he had to take care of her.

"I believe yer mother doesn't approve of you disappearing…?" Jack let the question hang in the air. Hopefully, Diana would give him a longer answer than a yes or a no. Finally he'd be able to have his little interrogation.

"She doesn't…" Jack rolled his eyes. So much for that.

"What is your mother's name?"

"Angelica. But most people call her Lady Lancaster," Diana replied.

"Angelica ye say," Jack repeated as if he didn't know. "Is she at the Lanlord right now?"

Diana shook her head. "No she is at Mrs York on a tea-party."

Jack's eyebrow quirked. Of course she was at one of those parties. "What does she do during the days?" It wasn't hard questioning Diana. She had no suspicions about it at all. What four year old would?

"Mommy is usually with Mrs York, Mrs Parker and Mrs Adler."

"Mhm, she is…," he said musingly. "Has she ever mentioned the name Jack?"

"Jack as in Captain Jack Sparrow?"

_That_ title she didn't forget. Honestly he found it more of importance that she recalled Sparrow's title than Jarrow's. "How do ye know about him?"

"Mommy told me stories."

"Stories?" he was about to open his mouth and get a little more information out of her when she took off. Apparently they had arrived sooner than he thought and were just outside the big hotel. He muttered something under his breath and entered the hotel lobby. Diana was by her father's side and waved the new doll in his face. Jack walked over.

"Join Maria and she'll make you dinner," Christian told Diana. Diana made a nod and turned to Jack. She hugged his leg quickly, taking him completely off guard. He himself met Maria's eyes for a brief moment.

"Goodbye Mr Jarrow!" Diana said and disappeared with Maria, that embarrassed looked away from Jack's staring. With a smirk, Diana's tiny hand found its way into her pocket and felt the hard item – the compass. Truly she had no idea what impact the item had on Jack, but for her it was simply a new toy to play with.

* * *

**A/N: Like it/Hate it? Any opinion? :) **


	6. That sings the truth about the love

**A/: I was quick to update this time. Your feedback was so nice that I just had to make time and write this chapter! Thank you so much! **

* * *

**Chapter VI - That** **sings the truth about the love she brings to me**

Pirates of the Caribbean

**The man from apartment 512**

* * *

Brothels existed in London as well. Tortuga wasn't the only town. To be honest, Jack fitted more in one of those filthy inns rather than inside the doors of the Lanlord. It smelled worse, more liquid was spilled on the floor, which was of wooden boards and not a fancy red wall-to-wall carpet. In addition, classless ladies hung around the corners and threw themselves at the passing men.

The wooden bottle clinked against Gibbs' in a saluting way. "Cheers for wenches and rum."

Before pouring the expensive rum down his throat, Gibbs made an askew nod. "Aye."

While Jack still drank the rum, Gibbs cleared his throat. His bottle was set back down onto the table with a loud thud, making it clear he had something to announce. Jack glanced at him in the corner of his eye with the bottle upside down against his lips.

"I saw… the Agnes-woman today."

Coughing and chokingly, Jack threw the bottle away, missing the angry face of a waiter which's head he hit. "Angelica?" he repeated. "Ye say you saw Angelica?"

Gibbs nodded. "Indeed. Admit it was a surprise, even though we have the knowledge she resides here."

Gibbs held his captain's fullest attention. "Where?" He raised his eyebrows by that.

"Here in London," Gibbs declared as if it was the most obvious answer.

Jack rolled his eyes frustrated. "Aye, but where did ye see her?"

"Ah," Gibbs let out as he understood. "Outside one of those fancy houses. She was entering a cart."

Jack nodded slowly. "She married the Lord."

The blunt statement was a bittersweet one and Gibbs seemed astonished to hear the fact. Then he shook his head slightly. "She was destined to, aye?"

Jack made a face, showing his disapproval. "There be a daughter in the picture."

By that, Gibbs' travelling eyes turned back to Jack. "Come again?" He drank a bit more of rum.

"And I suspect this lassy be mine."

Gibbs spit the rum out. "Jack?! Are ye saying there is a daughter of yours out there?"

Jack smiled nervously. "Perhaps," in some way that look of trying to get out of trouble reflected Diana's. Then he turned bitter and frowned while musingly sipping on the rum. "But I cannot tell surely since that bloody woman never told me."

For being very amused by the whole situation between Jack and the Agnes-woman, Gibbs found it of all sudden more serious. He even decided bring out his counsellor side. "Ye definitely should talk to her."

Jack leaned backwards into the backrest with his arm resting over another chair's backrest. "And how will that happen, Gibbs? Meeting her requires me attending the same place as her and that I've failed for days now." The tone he used was highly sarcastic and bitter.

Gibbs shrugged. "Then ye need to make stronger measurements."

* * *

The pillars on the bed's corners were already broken in two halves. So were the table legs and the armrest of a couch. Jack looked around but didn't find it perfect. Something was missing. A decoration of candles on the wall caught his gaze. Contently he walked over there and tore it from the wall. Then he smiled at the view - a total disaster of a classy luxury hotel suite. Satisfied he went out of the room and headed downstairs. He marched to the counter and shoved the first costumer in the line away.

"Excuse me, sir? What do you think you are-."

"I have some serious complaints about this _lad_!" he hollered at the staff. The man gulped.

"There is an-."

"The bed be broken, the table AND the chairs!" Jack hollered. The guests in the line had sensed the angry hotel guest and backed a few steps. So did the man behind the counter who to no avail tried to come up with a good reply.

"To not mention," Jack continued real upset. "The wall is broken! I demand ye fix this major problem!"

With shaky hands the man browsed in the register book. "Let me see, sir," he shakily replied. He glanced to Jack once and saw that the man still wore a terrifying frown. Frankly, he didn't know if he should fear the result he found by Lord Christian's outrageous respond he was about to have, or the hotel guest in front of him. "We are unfortunately out of rooms, sir. There is nothing else we can offer…"

Jack's eyes darkened even more.

* * *

At the mansion that was owned by Christian, a breakfast took place in the forenoon sun. Comfortably he sat at the end of the long table, heaving eggs and bread with tons of butter. Since early in the morning he had been properly dressed for a hunt in the woods together with other noble gentlemen. Technically this was more likely a brunch for him.

Like always his wife slept in during the mornings and didn't wake up until around noon. Her life style had always been that way and nothing had really changed that. Her energetic daughter though had been up even before Christian. She had played in her play chamber for a while whilst her nursemaid had watched her.

Patiently, the two females awaited the man of the house to finish his meal before they could. When he wiped his mouth with a tissue, he smiled and made a nod to them. Hungrily their eyes followed how two servants walked over to them and lifted the metallic bowls from their place.

"Lord Christian."

A maid curtsied in the doorway.

His jaw was lifted slightly, revealing his waiting for the maid to spill.

"Sir Albert Quentin is here. He is waiting in the entrance room for you, whenever you are ready."

Christian stood up. "Goodbye my Lady, and little Lady. I will be home for supper." He left the room.

When Angelica's dark brown eyes moved from Christian's escape to Diana, she faced two eyes that blinked sweetly at her.

"Yes, Diana, you can eat."

With a grin, Diana pointed at the croissants for her nursemaids to get her. They put them on her plate to prepare them with butter and melted chocolate pralines. Angelica ate the exact same. She folded a white tissue over her lap to not spill anything on her new dress. It was a light pink one. Almost so pink that it appeared white in daylight. Make-up with specifically blackness framed her eyes and her long brunette hair was tucked into a hairstyle. The tops of it were in curls and dangled just above her lower back and the front rested over her chest. A necklace with Rubin diamonds clung around her neck. It was a gift from Christian. Although the golden chain was so long that the biggest Rubin was hidden down in her very deep cleavage. The corset was even tighter than her waist was, but it was the newest fashion. To be honest she did everything possible to attract her husband's eyes. She couldn't have him run around meeting mistresses even if she suspected it. It had been harder to keep him at her side than she had believed back in the days. There wasn't any man she knew that didn't have at least one mistress. Why wouldn't her husband have one? In addition, she hadn't delivered him a son yet and she began doubting if it even was possible.

When she looked up to Diana, she saw that her little girl had chocolate all over her mouth – like always. She sighed and shook her head with a small smile. The nursemaids frequently wiped her cheeks and mouth but it was to no use. The child kept getting more chocolate over her face.

"Mommy can we play today?" Diana asked with food in her mouth.

Angelica swallowed a piece of a delicious croissant. "Of course we can, mi'ja. What do you have in mind? Do you want to go to the market place?"

Diana shook her head and pressed another piece of croissant with chocolate into her mouth. "No, play with dolls in my play chamber."

* * *

After breakfast Diana literally dragged her mother to her play chamber upstairs. It was a room with a lit fireplace, the fire crackling and heating the room. There was a gray carpet that reached over the floor and a fur of a polar bear. Diana had already dived into a box of doll decorations and then looked up to hurry over to the shelf. She embraced the line of porcelain dolls and dropped them carefully to the ground.

"Pick one," she said and sat down beside her mother. Angelica grabbed one and looked into the box.

"I take this and I will let her have this puppy," she said and brought out a little mini porcelain puppy from the box. By Diana's frown she paused. "What's wrong mi'ja?"

Diana snatched the doll harshly out of Angelica's hold. She let out a surprised out as she taken aback watched her daughter.

"That's the newest doll!" Diana defended and hugged it close. "You can't pick _that_ one!"

Angelica frowned amused and grabbed another one she recalled Diana had thrown into her face a couple of days ago. "I thought this was the newest," she said. "The one your father bought."

When Diana shook her head stubbornly and hugged the doll even tighter, Angelica sighed. "Have your father bought you a new doll, _again_?" Christian was hopeless. She already had too many. Way more than Diana's best friend Liza.

"No," Diana answered distantly as she redressed the porcelain doll with another gown. "Mr Jarrow did."

The frown became deeper on Angelica. "Mr Jarrow…?" she repeated wonderingly before figuring out from where she had heard it before. "The man your father works with?" She knew Diana often got gifts from friends but clients usually didn't.

Diana had turned around and began playing with the doll. "He lives at the hotel."

Angelica's face softened. She shook her head and exhaled soundly. It was extremely hard not making Diana a spoiled little girl when she practically had so many people around her little finger. It was a good talent though and she could use it in her future.

"Well, I sure hope you thanked him nicel…," she stopped midsentence when seeing something on top of a box that contained toys. Her eyes peered as she crawled over there. It glistened even though it was heavily dirty. Diana was making sounds, pretending it was the doll who said it. But Angelica only heard it distantly in the background. The item had her fullest attention. She recognized it.

She opened it swiftly and saw the needle spin. She gasped and turned dramatically to Diana.

"Diana!"

Diana ignored her and continued making a funny voice as she moved the doll on the floor.

"Diana?!" she burst out in a louder voice. "Where did you get this one?" the compass was lying in her hand. Diana turned to Angelica, looked at the compass for a brief moment and shrugged before returning to her doll.

Angelica put it down and grabbed Diana. "_DIANA Beatrice Lancaster!_ Where did you find this compass?!"

Diana released her arms from Angelica's hold and shot her mother a glare. It wasn't like it hurt or anything but she hated when someone raised its voice to her. "From Mr Jarrow."

For that moment it was as if Angelica's world stopped. "Jack…," she let out breathlessly, her eyes staring into emptiness. Diana eyed her weirdly.

"Mommy what's wrong?" she asked worriedly.

Weakly Angelica stood up and closed her hand around the compass. Without thinkin she rushed out of the room.

"Lady Lancaster," Maria followed her steps.

Angelica stopped tracks and whirled around. "Watch Diana." And with that she ran out of the house. The weather wasn't at all like it had been when they ate breakfast. Now it was dark and clouds covered the sky. She didn't even care taking the cart. A servant preparing it for them to leave took much longer time than hurrying to the hotel by herself. There was many people who threw looks after her, deeply concerned by witnessing such a well-dressed woman running all by herself along those dangerous streets.

The doorman hadn't even time to open the doors until she had swung them open and rushed inside. She hurried to the counter and didn't care about the angry hotel guests that stood in a fine line.

The staff behind it didn't seem to care of her passing it either due the knowledge her husband owned the place.

"I am looking for a Mr Jarrow," she panted.

"Yes, my Lady," the staff member said and searched in the register. "Mr Zack Jarrow, Lady Lancaster?" In other circumstances, she'd laugh at his bad fantasy of only changing the first letter.

"Yes!" she exclaimed with irritation, frustration and relief.

The employee gulped and closed the book. "The man from apartment 512 checked out earlier this morning."

"What…?" she let out. She couldn't possibly have missed him by a couple of hours. It was impossible. She looked at the employee as if she begged him, pleaded him. "Are you sure?"

He wore a dull look. "I am sorry, my Lady. But he is not here anymore."

Her expression was filled of hopelessness. "Do you have any idea where he left?" She _had_ to see him, if it was so the last thing she'd do.

The man shook his head. "He wouldn't tell."

* * *

**A/N: I had to buy a croissant with chocolate after finishing the breakfast scene! Haha, well that's me. **

**So what did you think of this chapter? Little innocent Diana is really someone people get information out of, but luckily she is the one she is – or Angelica never would have known. Any opinion about this chapter, or story? There are much more chapters to come!**


	7. Where do I start?

**A/N: Thank you tremendously for the support! It means everything! **

* * *

**Chapter VII – Where do I start?**

Pirates of the Caribbean

**The man from apartment 512**

* * *

For a moment, Angelica's world stopped. Jack had been here?! He wasn't dead?! The staring gaze must have been noticed by the staff member, because he tried to catch her attention.

"Lady Lancaster?" he cleared his throat and tried to snap her out of her trance. The dark eyes blinked and moved to the young man.

"Do you want me to send you any escort? Perhaps there will be…," his words became blurrier and blurrier in the background of her hearing. Slowly she had turned around and begun her walk outside. The doorman opened the doors for her and said something to her as she left. But it was also something she didn't catch. Instead she headed down the road with heavy steps, weak fingers that gripped around the fabric of the long fluffy gown to lift it from brushing against the ground. Her eyes were dead as they stared into emptiness, only memories of Jack playing in their vision. People that she passed threw looks after her, and she didn't care. The rain poured over her yet no reaction from her occurred.

When she arrived at her house, she leaned against the front door after closing it. She had been quiet as a mouse, firm to not awake attention. Last thing she wanted was her maids surrounding her. Only thing worse was her husband seeing her. She had left without telling him. But the room was empty and for a brief second, she believed she had made it.

When a well familiar person cleared his throat, her vision in the corner of her eyes revealed that she was trapped. Once she turned her head in that direction, Christian was standing there with a bothered frown and folded arms.

"Look at you," he commented her soaking wet hair. "Where have you been, Angelica?" his voice was bittersweet and she could sense his disapproval.

She gulped. "I was at the Lanlord," she spoke and looked at her husband watchfully. Her eyes followed his slow steps towards her. He walked dangerously slow.

"Did I allow you to go?" he inquired, a hint of venom in his words. She swallowed again. It wasn't often he got angry, probably because she never misbehaved.

It was a silence that lasted for too long. "Answer me! Were you allowed to leave this house?"

"No I wasn't," she replied with the want of adding a sarcastic 'sir' into it.

"No," Christian nodded. "Because do you know of what reason you weren't?" He asked almost too nicely. Angelica remained quiet. Actually, she knew he didn't want her to answer, he more likely questioned his opinion out loud. "You never asked!" he hollered angrily into her face. She winced and slightly closed her eyes in the moment his mouth yelled.

"I have an important guest here that will stay for a while and when I was going to present my beautiful wife, I was embarrassed to reveal that I had no idea where you were!" he shouted. "Do you have any idea how much of a fool I must have appeared? Do you?!" Before Angelica even had time to reply, Christian had sighed dramatically and turned around. "Of course you don't. You are only a woman."

Angelica drew in a breath and closed her eyes. When she opened them, Christian was turning around and also inhaled deeply. His hand gestured towards the stair. "Now my only profound wish is for you to get prepared for the ball we are attending tonight."

Another ball? Of course, when were there no balls? She made a nod. "Of course," she forced herself to reply and headed upstairs. She felt Christian's watchful eyes stare right at her until she disappeared upstairs. At least Christian didn't hit her like her friends' husbands did. And she was quite lucky. He gave her everything and seldom disobeyed her wishes. She must have truly embarrassed him deeply today or he wouldn't have been that upset.

But the thought of Jack didn't leave her mind. She had to find him. He couldn't have left London yet, he just couldn't have. Why hadn't he visited her? He knew she was in London. He must have known.

Deep in her thoughts, it came as a shock when she noticed Diana standing in the doorway.

Angelica paused.

"Mommy…?"

Gently she scooped her daughter up and carried Diana back into her bedroom. She smiled warmly and kissed her cheek. "Yes, mi'ja?" Diana's fingers played in Angelica's hair.

"Why is Dad yelling?" she asked.

Angelica kissed her cheek again before sitting down on Diana's bed with her daughter still in her embrace. She hugged her tighter and cupped the back of Diana's head with her hand.

"He is just stressed about a guest that is staying."

Diana pulled back and looked bothered. "Oh…"

"But don't you worry, sweetheart," Angelica assured her and pulled her fingers through Diana's silky hair. Seeing her yawns, Angelica's eyebrow quirked. "Have you taken your daily nap, Diana?"

The miniature of Angelica nodded slowly, sloping eyes revealing her tiredness. Angelica's eyes squinted as she shook her head, obviously not buying her reply. "Something is telling me you didn't."

Diana's whines didn't help her from getting tucked in bed - much to her dismay. After planting a kiss on her temple, Angelica took in a deep breath as she took in the image of her daughter. It was insane how much she reminded her of Diana's father. The man who once had held her heart, the one who still did.

Diana was asleep and her deep breath caused Angelica to snap back into reality. She broke her stare and quietly slipped out of the room. Carefully she closed the door and headed into her own room. She threw a look over her shoulder to make sure there was no one who watched her. Then she crossed the room to the bureau and pulled out a boxer. She dug her hands among the folded clothes until she felt something hard.

She pulled out the tiny satin box and just stared for it for a longer moment. After gathering some strength she lifted the cover to face the thing inside. A white rose. The white plastic rose Jack had given her before his hanging, the moment when he revealed his love for her. She had never felt such warmness stream inside her, yet no more sadness due the circumstances. It had been _awful_. It had been _wonderful_.

Her fingers caressed the rose carefully as memories flooded back to her mind. Master Gibbs had guided her to the cabin she would share with Jack. At some points the captain had retreated to his quarters to check on her, to make sure she was just fine. They had had a blast that evening. Whine and candlelight, music from playing pirates that had an interest as musicians as well. The majority of the crew had been drinking rum and they all had celebrated. After all, no people from the crew had been physically hurt. A couple of bruises but that didn't count. They had even accepted Angelica and been acting as gentlemen whenever she had come around, of course with the knowledge she belonged to the captain.

But the fortunate night didn't last for long. It was in the middle of the night Angelica had sat up in bed. The sound was unfamiliar. Not that she could call herself a professional sailor who had spent years out on the sea, but the afternoon and evening had taught her how sea waves and the air sounded. Even the crew. But that noise sounding was something else.

Jack had tiredly stirred in his sleep and mumbled something about her laying back down and fall back asleep. But her eyes only narrowed as she tried to figure out the strange sound.

"No, it is something, Jack," she had urged him. A bare second later they'd gotten the answer. A boom was sound as a cannonball hit the ship. They had believed they had reached far enough out of the Caribbean Sea, but apparently they hadn't.

Jack had been up in two red and demanded her to stay in the cabin. That had been the last time she saw him. Soon, the marine had invaded the cabin and forced her back on their ship. The crew of the Pearl had either died in the battle or been captured by the marine, including Jack.

She had struggled and done everything possible to not get home, but the men had literally shoved and carried her into a cart. Back home she had been sent to London with Christian right away, him never finding out about the truth. Naturally the romance between Miss Angelica and the servant Jack had been spread fast around the town, therefore her fast escape against her will. And off she had went and been married even though she never wanted to.

"If you don't say 'I do', I will shoot him myself," her father had threatened her. She had been left with no other choice but to marry him. Months later, the rumour had been spread to London about Jack's escape. She had received a letter from her mother Lady Beatrice Teach that confirmed the situation. Jack and his crew had escaped. For a brief moment she had felt happiness, until it was finalized that the Pearl had been captured once again. This time a good sailor called Zack Jarrow had taken over the vessel and killed Jack in the battle. Apparently nobody had seen Jack ever since and Angelica had eventually believed what she had refused to let in. Jack had died in that battle. For months she had grieved. Christian had thought it was because of her missing Port Royal and therefore given her everything. It was first when Diana arrived that she slowly became her old self, but with a major part missing.

The steps approaching the room caused her to quickly put the flower back in the box which she hid below the clothes. She spun around as Christian entered the room. His eyebrow quirked by her abrupt movement. She wore the look of being taken off guard.

He stretched his throat and gave her a suspicious look. "What are you doing?"

Angelica let out a nervous laugh. "I don't know what to wear."

Men always bought that. And Christian was no exception. "Ah," he nodded. "Perhaps we need to buy you a new gown to the next ball then."

Angelica shrugged slightly. "That would me more than I can ask."

Christian looked pleased. "You deserve it," he said and began walking towards a private office room. "Get ready, we are leaving soon."

* * *

Gretel Adler, married to Jacob Adler. The mansion was not a little excuse of an accommodation. It was built at the same street as the one the Lancasters lived on. At the moment, the street was filled of carts behind elegant horses that trotted along it. The driver would make a pause just outside the open gates to the garden of the Adlers. So did the cart Jack and Gibbs was in.

Jack had been visiting Christian for a brief moment but spent the majority of the afternoon downtown on the Pearl, planning some ideas with Gibbs. Together they had taken a cart from the harbour to the luxurious street in newly purchased suits. Even if he lived as an honourable man now, drowning in the amount of golden coins – he didn't often go to those fancy parties. It happened, but only when he was in need of womanly company, which he fast received. They usually surrounded him like bees being allured by honey. But brothels still worked faster and better for him.

"Still can't understand how some mayst reside in these sorts of houses," Gibbs commented when the two gentlemen stepped out of the cart. Jack glanced over his shoulder.

"Can't believe how they cannot live on ships as well."

"Aye."

The two pirates got some appreciative looks thrown after them, particularly from women checking Jack out. He was flattered and winked at them, causing them to blush. It also caused their husbands to protectively put a hand around their waist, or put an arm over their shoulders to show them to whom they belonged. Not that it would stop Jack if he truly wanted a woman. But the one he actually desired hadn't acknowledged him. He had hoped to make an entrance on her life again at this ball, if he ever would get the chance of even catching a glimpse of her. Many women had the looks like Angelica but none was her. Gibbs shot him a suspicious glance.

"Captain?" he wondered as they walked down a crowded hallway. Jack mumbled something unclear as response, clearly distracted by his searching eyes.

Gibbs cleared his throat as he went on. "We be not here for the cause of this… Agnes-woman, are we?"

"Hmm…?" Jack mumbled distantly while continuing scanning the women they passed. A woman stopped abruptly in front of them. Her red long hair framed her pale face. Her ice blue eyes examined Jack and Gibbs sweetly before a warm smile appeared on her face.

"Welcome to my ball. I am Mrs Jacob Adler. Gretel."

Jack grinned and took her hand to kiss it. "Captain Jack – I mean, Zack Jarrow at yer service, love."

Gretel grinned wider and let Gibbs kiss her hand too. "First mate of the Pearl, Mrs."

Gretel smiled. "I hope you will enjoy this feast," he said before excusing herself to greet other guests that arrived.

"She be a jewel, wasn't she?" Gibbs asked, wondering if she had Jack's attention. Jack shrugged.

"Aye, she be," he said. By Gibbs raised eyebrows, he explained himself. "Ye can have her, I am waiting for someone else much more special."

Gibbs rolled his eyes. "And I would bet the Pearl that it be Miss Angelica."

Jack gave him a small smile. "That we will see." Gibbs knew him too well.

Eventually they entered a ballroom. It was a big chamber, the centre of the house. The ceiling was high and somewhere up there was the second floor with a balcony surrounding the room. Big marble columns held the ceiling steadily.

The dance floor was lowered by a stair that surrounded the room, consisting of three steps down. There was also an area where tables had been placed with white cloths. Some chatting guests had settled down there, obviously for the rest of the evening and night. Jack's eyes scanned the area and let his gaze lock on any brown haired woman. He felt Gibbs nudge him as he nodded into a direction.

"Look at that lady," he stated.

Jack checked her out from distance. She was mingling with a glass of wine that she grasped with her glove-hands. Her assumed girlfriends were standing together in a group, all of them looking just as elegant as the others attending the party. "She looks amazing," he acknowledged. They exchanged a look before Gibbs headed over to the group, obvious intention of getting the woman.

Jack on the other hand turned back to crowd. He took a walk along the walls while continuously searching. He stopped tracks once he saw a woman with her back against him. The brown hair, the dress, the familiar waist… Angelica. She was standing with some other women, apparently deep in their conversation. Quickly he snatched her and pulled her out of the room. She let out a little yelp as she was dragged out into an emptier hallway and pressed against the wall. Before she had time to react, Jack leaned in and closed his eyes.

The eyes went wide as fast they had sloped. That was _not_ Angelica. And the slap he felt hitting his cheek confirmed his mistake. Not that Angelica wouldn't be able to do that.

The woman gave him a disgusted look, released herself harshly out of his grip and disappeared, leaving an astonished Jack. Well that wasn't the first, and probably not the last one either. He took a deep breath and straightened his back, gathering some dignity. He turned, ready to leave when he stopped tracks. A group of both women and men looked as if they had been fossilised by a witch. Mouths hung open with chin almost down on the floor, unbelieving eyes staring at Jack and none of them moved.

Jack gave them a wry smile and bowed with his head once before quickly making a turn back into the ballroom. He muttered something and leaned against a column, trying to avoid the hungry eyes he received from some passing women. He barely picked up what flirtatious phrase they threw him. Instead, he watched the dancing people. Angelica should be there, but it appeared as if she wasn't. And he wanted her there. He wanted to see her, to meet her, no matter the grudge he felt towards her by her not telling him she had gotten a lassy. He still wanted to see her. Just once. And he wanted an answer.

* * *

Christian swung her around in a gracious motion. She smiled widely, mostly in acting, and curtsied when the dance was over. Formally, he kissed her hand.

"Another dance, my Lady?" he asked her politely.

The knot in her stomach still hurt. All she wanted to do was heading to the harbour and see if Jack was there. He must be. Wherever the Pearl was, there he'd be. She couldn't believe she had been stupid enough to believe he hadn't been Zack Jarrow. She must have been the most idiotic person ever. But then again, what if he truly was dead and Zack Jarrow truly was someone else? She couldn't get her hopes up. She wouldn't be able to lose him again. After all, she hadn't seen him and had no idea if it was all a lie. What if Zack Jarrow had taken Jack Sparrow's compass?

Of course he had. Jack wasn't alive. She began feeling how the knot hurt even more. Jack was dead. Oh, what a fool she had been to believe in that lie. She _had_ to accept his death. He was gone, and she'd never see him again. Never. She had to accept it.

"I am going to check Diana and Liza upstairs," Angelica forced out in a tryout of keeping her face. "If that is alright with you of course."

Christian nodded understandingly. "I can't wait for you to return and we'll have another dance."

Angelica forced a smile to appear and turned on her heels. She left the dance floor and walked up the tiny steps to leave the room. She began tearing up with watery eyes as the realization struck her like a ton of bricks. She shouldn't have believed he was back. He would never be back. Jack was forever gone. And now she'd have to accept it, for real. She had to stop getting her hopes up and pretending he might be alive.

She entered an empty lounge room and crossed it. The curtains that hung down from the high ceiling fluttered in the breeze that blew from the open large balcony-doors. It was a view over the big garden and the high walls further away that surrounded it. It was sundown and about to become dark. Slowly she made her way over to the marble fence and leaned her elbows on it. The view was quite beautiful and the fresh air was something she really needed at the moment. A couple of tears managed escaping her eyeballs and slide down her cheeks. She was so lost in the moment that she couldn't believe what she heard coming from behind her.

"Hello Angelica."

That voice, but it couldn't be true. It would never be true. It would never be reality.

"Long time no see, love."

* * *

**A/N: Like it/Hate it? Any opinion? Please tell! **


	8. With the first hello

**A/N: Thank you so much for the feedback! You have no idea how much I appreciate it! **

**Roma77; sorry for any confusion. And yes, Christian do believe Diana is his daughter. I thought a lot about what I would do about the situation since Angelica after all was around 2 months pregnant at the end of **_**Como la flor**_**. However, back then they had no technology as the medical care has these days. It wouldn't be hard to claim that Diana arrived 'too early'. Plus, at two months one doesn't really show. (: That was at least how I decided to put this story. And obviously, the two did get married at once. Anyway, I hope I cleared some confusion and that you can enjoy the story. ;) **

**And Christian acted real stupid in the last chapter, didn't he? Yep, I think so too. It is obviously something we would react on these days, but back then it was the man who always had the word in a family. He could do whatever that pleased him and truly women were just for having a nice accessory at their side formally. **

**Well anyway, enough with the talking from my part. If you have more questions - it is just to leave a review or message me!**

* * *

**Chapter VIII – With the first hello**

Pirates of the Caribbean

**********The man from apartment 512**

* * *

With goosebumps all over the skin and butterflies in her stomach, Angelica turned around. She drew in her breath once laying her eyes upon the man she had believed was dead. The man who she had believed had returned only to get her daydream crashed by reality. And now he was back again.

Jack Sparrow didn't look exactly like she remembered him. He was bolder, bigger. More like a man that was being well-fed. Still he wasn't chubby like his side-kick Gibbs, but definitely not skinny as in his youth back in Port Royal. In other words; he had grown from a handsome lad into a handsome full-grown man.

"Good evening. It's good to see ye." Every word he spoke reached Angelica's ears as music. She swallowed and tried her hardest to make up a respond, but she found herself speechless.

Jack broke their eye contact and scanned the area around him in case anyone would observe them. When he noticed that everybody was too occupied in their own actions, he reached out his hand to her. "Come with me."

She still looked like she had seen a ghost. Shockingly without any hesitation she put her hand in his and let him help her pull her up. He forced her to walk in front of him while his other hand moved around her lower waist as they walked out of the ballroom. Other guests outside that stood in groups, chatting and mingling around took no note of Angelica and Jack's presence. The couple quickly made its way into a hallway with less people until they rounded two other corners. An empty hallway, just how Jack wanted it. He needed to talk to her, in privacy.

"Jack? I can't believe-," she stopped talking and instead her breath hitched when he spun her around. His hand remained clasped around her wrist though. He didn't know how she'd react in this situation, obviously she would avoid him. She had after all never accurately told him about her stay in London. And she had never sent him a letter. She had never told him about Diana, if she happened to be his that is to say. Everything was just a big disappointment. How could she have done that to him?

"How could ye do this to me?" he demanded, indicating with anger in his voice. She was quite taken aback and winced by his way of speaking. Wasn't he happy to see her? She had been thrilled, but now she was slightly scared.

Jack saw her astonished frown and tightened his grip around her wrist when she tried to release it. "Answer me Angelica," his words were so serious.

Honestly, Angelica couldn't catch up to what he was talking about. "I don't understand."

Jack let go of her hand only to lean against the wall and put his palms on each side of her head. Again, she was pinned against a wall, trapped and she hated it.

"Don't act like your airhead friends. How could ye not write me, tell me something, anything?! Not even after the great battle you sent for me?" he demanded, clearly highly upset.

"Jack, I thought-."

"Ye thought what?!" he interrupted her. "And what about Diana?"

Angelica stared into his eyes. "You gave her your compass, and you bought her a doll," she stated.

It was Jack's turn to frown. "I never gave her my compass."

"Yes you did. It's back home in her playchamber."

He dug his hand into his pocket and found it empty. That little lassy had to be watched more carefully! It was quiet for a moment until he opened his mouth again. "She be mine?"

After taking a deep and discreet breath, Angelica nodded with partly closed eyes. "She is yours."

Once again, Jack's eyes peered. "And why, tell me – you never told me about her!"

"How was I supposed to?" she saw Jack's expression redden.

"Letters Angelica! Or anything!"

"A letter to heaven?!" she inquired, now shooting back responses.

"If you claim the sea to be heaven, they aye!"

"I thought you were dead!"

With that final shout, Jack silenced. His open mouth closed as he removed his palms from the wall. "What?" he wondered.

Avoiding his eyes, Angelica tore the gaze from his to the floor down beside him. "They told me this Zack Jarrow more or less was the reason of captain of the Black Pearl's death and later took over the ship."

Jack had to chuckle. "And ye believed that?"

Angelica shot him a death glare. "It's not funny, you imbécil." Already insulting him? Well, that didn't take long.

Jack nodded once. "I think it is. If anyone I thought ye'd see through that tremendously horrendous hidden identity." Then he had to admit. "Obviously it was a genius one, taking everybody believed it."

Angelica restrained herself from rolling her eyes. "Well now I do. I only found out earlier today about your existence," she revealed. "And here you are – telling me off or am I wrong?"

Now he understood. "Suppose ye had a reason after all then for not hearing from ye," he admitted.

She grabbed his hand with both of her hands. His eyes followed her movements as she fingered on it, still not really grasping the situation she was in. She was actually together with Jack for the very first time since Port Royal. "When I saw the compass and Diana told me that the owner of it stayed at the Lanlord, I left at once. But you had already checked out and I began doubting if it ever were you in the first place," she looked up from the hands and met Jack's eyes. "Or if it had been the man who supposedly murdered you."

Realizing his little made-up story not only had been good enough to convince the Navy, he now knew it had been too good. Apparently he had fooled Angelica as well. He couldn't believe this, he had gone to this ball to require an apology from her, yet he was the one who did it.

"My intention was never to let you think I had left this world."

By not answering, she let a comfortable silence hang around them. She moved slightly forward until her body was against his, her head tilting upwards while his looked down to meet her eyes. Softly and with such urge, his hands squeezed her waistline, embracing her closer. Her hand was on his cheek to direct his head to never leave looking into her eyes.

"I've missed you," she confessed. "So much."

In the daze, he quite couldn't catch what was being told. He wanted her now, he wanted to make love to her like the lady she was and as the mother of his daughter. He wanted her to moan his name in ecstasy and desire. He wanted to kiss those soft lips and make out with her until they were out of breath.

"Hmm…?" he mumbled and snapped back into reality. What was wrong with him?! Never had he been such a cheesy man with such cheesy desires. Of course it was natural for him to dream about doing those things with women, but never had he felt such a caring urge for it. At least not since their romance in Port Royal. What had happened? He could hear Gibbs' annoying voice taunting him in his mind 'Love, Jack. It's called love.' And it was.

He gulped and moved one of his hands to the back of her head. He leaned down to only pause centimetres from her mouth, his words' breezing against her lips in his whisper. "I am still in love with you…"

The hold they had on each other burnt by warmness. It truly was a moment none of them wanted to pass by. She opened her mouth partly, ready to capture his lips in a longing kiss but had to pull away after hearing the call coming from too close. "Mommy!"

Jack looked disturbed as Diana's voice called for her mother again. "Mommy! Where are you?"

Angelica turned to Jack with an anxious expression. She was confused and felt torn. She had no idea what to do. "I… I have to go."

Quickly in her movement of turning back around and leaving, Jack snatched her hand but by now she was faster to release it. Before he had time to react on the sequence of events she had disappeared.

He hated to think it, have it as opinion; but it felt cold and as if someone had knocked his breath out of his lungs. Something was missing and that was Angelica, obviously his miniature as well. He had to have those two back in his life. He frowned, determined that this time they would all make it. With long, goal setting steps he walked out of the hallways. In a lounge room stood Angelica with her hand on Diana's head to hug the yawning child to lean onto her side. Lord Christian was standing in front of her with that fat man beside him. In addition there were a few other men and women there, plus a couple of children.

When Lord Christian saw Jack he waved at him, gesturing for him to join them. "Captain Jarrow!"

Everybody turned and watched as the wealthy commander approached the group.

A woman he had to admit looked more than fine, blushed and winked at him. The one he assumed was her husband reached out his hand. "James York," he presented himself. "And this is my wife Mary York," he gestured for Mary to let her hand be kissed by Jack. She winked at him again, but it went unnoticed by her husband. When he let go of her hand, she nudged her friend Gretel Adler.

"He was the one I saw in the lobby!" she hissed quietly.

Gretel's eyebrows rose. "And now you've got the opportunity to do something about your daydream," he hissed discreetly back.

Jack shook the men's hands and kissed the women's, forgetting about the names before he had presented himself to the next person. Lastly, he stood in front of the Lancasters. His eyes didn't leave Angelica's, who had to force her lips to not form them into a smile. Instead, she smirked at him and cleared her throat when it had been silent for too long.

"Mr Jarrow, I believe you haven't met my lovely wife yet. Mr Jarrow, this is Angelica Lancaster. Angelica, this is Mr Jarrow."

With slight sloopy eyes, Angelica witnessed how gracefully and carefully Jack lifted her hand. His moustache brushed against the soft skin before he planted a tender kiss. She needed him. Every memory she had shared with him in a rather close and intimate meaning flashed in her mind. She urged for him.

Sooner than she preferred, he had let go of her hand. "It's a pleasure to finally meet you." He should have added 'again' – but then again he would get hanged.

For the two of them it was obvious what he meant, but for the others it just appeared as if Lord Christian only had spoken of his wife and Jack was playing a nice gentleman to greet her with such words.

Lord Christian nodded towards a doorway. "I think it is about time we head home," he announced. He then looked at Jack. "Will you join us home at once or will you return later?"

"I will join you home."

By the frown, Lord Christian was reminded that Angelica had no idea what he meant. Jack though smirked. This would be interesting.

"Back home I told you about a guest that would stay at our house for a while," he let the rest hang in the air.

Angelica nodded slowly with a frown, still not getting it.

When Lord Christian indicated to the grinning Jack, Angelica gasped without seeing how the overdramatized motion could reveal things. By Lord Christian's now frown, she quickly put on a sweet face, _acting_ like she always did.

"Well, it will be a pleasure to have you stay at our house Mr Jarrow," she glanced to her husband that nodded contently. He let a smile slip and show her he was pleased with how she handled it.

"Pleasure be all mine," Jack admitted and winked at her.

He turned back to the group of friends as the trio plus Diana said their goodbyes. On their way out, they passed Gibbs but he would rather stay for some more hours before heading home to the Lancasters to crash.

Lord Christian was walking by Jack's side out of the house while Angelica held an arm around Diana. She kept throwing glances over her shoulder, Lord Christian believing she was checking him out when in fact she tried meeting Jack's eyes subtly. After all, she couldn't make her husband suspicious if she wanted to live.

Together they piled into the cart. Diana put her head in Angelica's lap and quickly closed her eyes, drifting off to a sleep. Lord Christian said some words to Jack but soon closed his eyes too. It was a late night and pitch dark outside.

At least it gave her time to look at Jack, and he into her eyes without anybody examining them. He swallowed and kept the eyes directly into hers. None of them could say something or they'd gain attention. The air must have been breakable by the hard tension. He could feel how he grew by the vision he had. Angelica was a grown woman now. She had grown even more in places only her husband were allowed to discover. He had never laid his eyes upon such a beauty and she was untouchable and married.

Angelica shivered and got goosebumps all over again by the sight of Jack. She had seen how his lusty and hungry gaze had darkened even more. Back in the days it would have meant a great night they'd spend together, but now it was just plain torture. She smirked at him by the knowledge he was turned on. With a small smile with closed lips, she gave him another annoying smirk before she teasingly pulled down the fabric at her cleavage further. Oh, she'd torture him further.

* * *

**A/N: Any opinion? Please tell! Even if it seems good right now, I say there is sooo much to come left! **


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